Newcastle United Detailed Season Preview: Insights and Predictions

Where Did Newcastle Finish Last Season?

Claiming the final Champions League qualification spot with a 5th place finish despite their final day defeat to Everton, 2024/25 very much went as planned for the Tynesiders’. They never harbored any realistic title winning hopes, and never really looked likely to finish higher than fourth or fifth. But while their league campaign was solid but largely forgettable, their Carabao Cup campaign was the reason this season will go down in Magpies history.

Beating Arne Slot’s irresistible Liverpool team in the final, Eddie Howe and his squad snapped the club's well publicized 70 domestic trophy drought, an achievement many thought they would never live to witness. Goalscorers Dan Burn and Alexander Isak etched their names into black and white history, and their contributions in the final further underlined their crucial role in Howe’s team, with their pair arguably being Newcastle’s most consistent, reliable performers across the campaign.

As Carabao Cup winners automatically qualify for the Europa Conference League, Newcastle had already sealed continental football for 2025/26 by mid-March, relieving much of the end of season pressure in the run-in. However, all involved at Newcastle know that Champions League competition is where the club now belongs, and thanks to a strong run of form in the last two months of the season, they secured their place in Europe’s elite competition, forgoing their right to compete in the Conference League. If the right moves are made this summer, we could see the Magpies take a huge step forward in their quest for further, major silverware.

Best Result: Newcastle United 5-0 Crystal Palace (Murphy 14’, Guehi OG 38’, Barnes 45+2’, Schar 45+8’, Isak 58’)

Worst Result: Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United (Marmoush 19’, 24’, 33’, McAtee 84’)

Who Have Newcastle United Signed in the Summer Transfer Window So Far?

Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart - £65 Million + £5 Million Add Ons

Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest - £55 Million

Yoane Wissa from Brentford - £55 Million

Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa - £40 Million

Malick Thiaw from AC Milan - £30 Million + £4.3 Million Add Ons

Aaron Ramsdale from Southampton - Season long loan with Buy Option

Park-Seung Soo from Suwon Bluewings - Undisclosed

Antonito Cordero from Malaga CF - Free Transfer

Total Spent: £245 Million + £9.3 Million in Potential Add Ons

Who Have Newcastle United Sold in the Summer Transfer Window So Far?

Alexander Isak to Liverpool - £130 Million

Lloyd Kelly to Juventus - Loan made permanent for £15 Million

Sean Longstaff to Leeds United - £12 Million + £3 Million Add Ons

Martin Dubravka to Burnley - Undisclosed Fee

Matt Targett to Middlesbrough - Season long loan

Odysseas Vlachodimos to Sevilla - Season long loan

Joe White to Leyton Orient - Season long loan

Callum Wilson - Released

Jamal Lewis - Released

Isaac Hayden - Released

John Ruddy - Released

Total Received: £157 Million + £3 Million in Potential Add Ons

Newcastle United 2025/26 Squad List

Goalkeepers: Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale.

Defenders: Keiran Trippier, Sven Botman, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn.

Midfielders: Antonio Cordero, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Jacob Ramsey, Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley.

Attackers: Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon, Yoane Wissa, Harvey Barnes, William Osula, Jacob Murphy, Garang Kuol, Park-Seung Soo.

Newcastle United 2025/26 Home, Away and Third Kits

the heart of the Toon 🖤

introducing the new Newcastle 25/26 Home jersey, available 29th May. pic.twitter.com/9iEn0QpjG2

— adidas Football (@adidasfootball) May 23, 2025

Newcastle release their away kit for 2023-24 🟢 pic.twitter.com/o0NcP5aa8x

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 30, 2023

“Made for match days, memories and more” 💙🧡

Newcastle United reveal their 2025/26 third jersey, a modern tribute to the 97/98 away kit 😍 pic.twitter.com/PIWD39BAIt

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 1, 2025

What is Newcastle United’s First Premier League Fixture?

Aston Villa vs Newcastle United | Villa Park, Birmingham | Saturday, August 16th, 12:30

How Can I Watch Aston Villa vs Newcastle United?

Newcastle United’s opening fixture of the season will be shown on TNT Sports, although it is not yet clear which of the company’s channels the game will be broadcasted on.

What Are Newcastle United’s Opening Five Games?

Aston Villa vs Newcastle United - Saturday, August 16th.

Newcastle United vs Liverpool - Monday, August 25th.

Leeds United vs Newcastle United - Saturday, August 30th.

Newcastle United vs Wolves - Saturday, September 13th.

AFC Bournemouth vs Newcastle United - Saturday, September 20th.

When Do Newcastle United Play Rivals Sunderland in 2025/26?

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League sees the revival of the Tyneside Derby, one of the most infamous in England’s top flight. With just 12 miles separating the two sides, animosity is guaranteed, and with a history of fiery meetings dating all the way back to the 1890’s, there is no shortage of history in this fixture.

Sunderland vs Newcastle United - Early December, TBC.

Newcastle United vs Sunderland - Late March, TBC.

Last Five Meetings:

- 06/01/2024: Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle United.

- 20/03/2016: Newcastle United 1-1 Sunderland.

- 25/10/2015: Sunderland 3-0 Newcastle United.

- 05/04/2015: Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle United.

- 21/12/2014: Newcastle United 0-1 Sunderland.

Who is Newcastle United’s Manager for 2025/26?

Eddie Howe's Black & White Army 🖤🤍#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/XgADH6Rcep

— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) March 16, 2025

Highly touted during his time at Bournemouth, Eddie Howe has performed as many expected since moving to St. James’ Park in 2021. In his three full seasons in charge, the Toon have qualified for the Champions League twice, and only missed out on European football last season thanks to Manchester United’s FA Cup win, which took their Europa League spot.

It is a remarkable stat that no English manager has ever won the Premier League since its inception in 1992. In Eddie Howe, English fans finally have a legitimate candidate that could seriously challenge over the next few years. Capable of running small team on a miniscule budget, such as Bournemouth, while also doing an admirable job at the oil-back Newcastle, Howe has showed that he is adaptable, while his ability to work with a great variety of talents, ranging from the elite Isak to the slow but steady Burn, has also proved a useful trait.

This season will likely come too soon to launch a legitimate title challenge, but with some dead wood already on the way out, and the exciting Anthony Elanga coming in, Howe’s squad is taking shape nicely. With a few more signings, and a season of Champions League football to gel them together, 2026/27 could see a new challenger enter the mix. With Howe at the wheel, Newcastle fans will feel this is well within their reach.

Who is Newcastle United’s Key Player?

Alexander Isak

Firmly cementing himself as one of the world’s most efficient strikers in last season, Alexander Isak’s 2024/25 campaign was something rather special. Securing his first trophy in black and white (including scoring in the final), netting a personal best 27 goals across all competitions, and scoring in eight consecutive Premier League games either side of New Year, it is no surprise he is a man in demand this summer.

Every Alexander Isak goal from last season (31) pic.twitter.com/NUII6XDdHJ

— . (@ChiesaLFC) July 15, 2025

Liverpool have already come and gone with a rumoured £120 Million bid - credit must be given to Newcastle and Eddie Howe for holding onto him. They stalled, rejected, and eventually Liverpool were forced to go for Hugo Ekitike instead. However, one thing is for certain - Liverpool’s interest was only the start of countless rumours linking Isak away from the club. The Swede really is good enough to start for any team on the planet, and still aged just 25, there is still margin for him to improve significantly.

Liverpool have already stated that they will come back for Isak either in January or next summer, while Chelsea and Arsenal have also been linked with him since Christmas - the sooner Newcastle start regularly competing for major titles, the better. Afterall, a winning team is much more desirable to stay at than to leave, and with fellow Swede Elanga also joining the squad, Isak and his teammates are inching closer to causing serious problems for the rest of the league.

Newcastle United 2025/26 Season Prediction

While the debate over who has won the summer transfer window rages on, with Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal all throwing their hats in the ring, the discussion surrounding who has lost it is rather more clear cut. After a summer which started so brightly, linking them to every form player from various leagues last season, Newcastle’s wheelings and dealings have taken on a nightmarish tint.

Turned down by Benjamin Sesko, Morgan Gibbs-White, Bryan Mbuemo, Ebere Eze, Antoine Semenyo, Joao Pedro and more besides, the failure to land these big names has been compounded by the somewhat unbelievable circumstances surrounded star striker Alexander Isak, who ironically, is on strike. Not expected to play football for the club again, the Swede is waiting for Liverpool and only Liverpool, and the lack of presence the Magpies had up top without him was put into stark contrast in the opening day goalless draw with 10 man Aston Villa.

Though they have managed to secure two classy wide players in Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey, William Osula is now the only recognised striker in the Geordie ranks - with just 20 games and two goals to his name, the Dane is not the man to take Eddie Howe’s side forward this season. Howe needs a new striker fast, otherwise the excellent progress made last season will unravel before him.

Football Park’s Prediction: 8th