Newcastle United defender Sven Botman is keen to commit his future to St James’ Park, with securing Champions League football the priority.
Newcastle are on the verge of booking their place in Europe’s premier competition for next season after a win over Chelsea moved them to within three points of effectively securing a place in the top five.
The i Paper has been told several of their top targets, including Brentford’s £60m-rated Bryan Mbeumo, have Champions League football as a priority for any move.
But as well as significantly boosting their financial muscle in the transfer market – with Eddie Howe admitting on Sunday the club faces a “big” summer of recruitment – it will give Newcastle further room for manoeuvre when it comes to a string of potential contract renewals.
It is a delicate balancing act for Newcastle given their profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) position. On one hand, lengthening player contracts helps PSR because it amortises their book value over a longer period. But on the other, a drastic wage increase puts a greater burden on the club.
Improved deals for Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon last year helped push Newcastle’s wage bill up considerably in the most recent accounts to £219m.
But securing Champions League football – and the potential boost of up to £60m that will give their bottom line – will help ease those concerns and enable them to approach talks with Alexander Isak and others with more freedom to match their demands.
Isak, whose form has tailed off in recent weeks, is a target for Arsenal and Liverpool but Newcastle are adamant that he is not for sale and are protected from bids by their £150m valuation and the fact his contract doesn’t expire until 2028.
However, talks with Isak over a new deal are unlikely to be straightforward, with the player now considered one of the leading strikers in the world and his representatives certain to demand wages to match that.
Both parties have kept their counsel on potential contract talks since negotiations were frozen in the autumn but the view among many in the recruitment world is that Isak would have been unlikely to commit to an extension if Newcastle weren’t playing Champions League football.
Isak is not the only player whose future is in focus. It is understood that Botman, who performed with typical authority on his return against Chelsea, is open to a new deal. Some informal discussions took place last year as Paris Saint-Germain showed interest in the Dutch centre-back but he then suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for the majority of the campaign.
The 25-year-old is seen as a central part of Newcastle’s future plans but new talks would surely depend on him proving his fitness. He has only recently returned from a knee injury that ruled him out for six weeks.
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Newcastle may also look to renew Jacob Murphy’s terms, with the right winger set to stay at St James’ Park despite the Magpies actively targeting another forward to compete with him.
He recently switched agents to the powerful Wasserman group and is understood to be in the thinking of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who will announce his squad for summer games against Andorra and Senegal later this month.
Having fulfilled his side of the bargain by delivering a trophy and moving the team to the verge of the Champions League, Newcastle’s power brokers know they have to support Howe in a transfer market to maintain the momentum generated this season.
Mbeumo is one domestic-based target but Newcastle may face competition from Liverpool and Manchester United for the winger. Although realistic about what comes next, the Bees are under no pressure to sell and sources have told The i Paper that there has been no formal contact from any club yet.
Newcastle are also looking at centre-back options, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi being considered. Both would require a substantial outlay.
The Magpies are prepared to spend big in the close season but there is also an acceptance that further player trading will be required in the window. Lloyd Kelly’s £15m move to Juventus will be made permanent before the June transfer window opens, giving Newcastle a solid PSR boost.
“The summer window as we know, and as I’ve made no attempt to hide, is a massive window for us,” Howe said when asked about his squad being stretched after a string of injuries in the Premier League run-in. If Champions League football is secured, those priorities become even more pressing.
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