When it comes to Newcastle United signings, exactly four years ago today was a massive pivotal moment.
On 7 January 2022, Kieran Trippier signed.
The England international seen as a massive scoop for Newcastle United, especially for only £12m.
Only months earlier, Trippier had helped Atletico Madrid win the league, with the full-back named in the 2020/21 La Liga team of the season.
Kieran Trippier had also followed up that La Liga title win with playing a key role in England getting to the 2020 Euros final (delayed from 2020 and played 2021 due to Covid).
How did United land such an amazing player as the first of the Newcastle United signings under the then recently installed new club owners, especially with relegation looking all but certain?
The answer? Eddie Howe.
Yes, Eddie Howe to blame, as he would be for many many more brilliant Newcastle United signings.
The two knew each other well, Eddie Howe having signed Kieran Trippier back when he was managing Burnley.
The rest, as they say, is history…
January 2022 saw (As well as Kieran Trippier £12m) Eddie Howe sign Dan Burn (£13m), Bruno Guimaraes (£35m plus £6.25m potential add-ons), Chris Wood (£25m) and Matt Targett (loan).
Summer 2022 and it was Nick Pope (£10m), Matt Targett (£12m), Sven Botman (£35m), Alexander Isak (£59m plus £4m add-ons).
January 2023 saw Eddie Howe adding Anthony Gordon (£40m plus £5m add-ons).
Summer 2023 it was Sandro Tonali (£55m), Harvey Barnes (£38m), Tino Livramento £32m plus £6m add-ons), Lewis Hall (loan and agreement to make permanent for £28m in summer 2024), Yankuba Minteh (£7m).
January 2024 there were no significant signings.
Summer 2024 saw Odysseas Vlachodimos (£20m) and Will Osula (£10m plus potential £5m add-ons).
January 2025 there were no significant signings.
Summer 2025 and Anthony Elanga (£52m plus £3m potential add-ons), Jacob Ramsey (£39m), Malick Thiaw (£30m plus £4m add-ons), Nick Woltemade (£65m plus £4.3m add-ons), Yoane Wissa (£55m) and Aaron Ramsdale (loan).
Crazy
In the crazy world we now live in, I have this season seen some fans wanting to ‘blame’ Eddie Howe for the summer’s Newcastle United signings.
The reasoning appears to be that with no Sporting Director in place this summer, it was Eddie Howe who decided all the Newcastle United signings and that this led to the summer business having been a disaster.
I can’t begin to say just how pathetic I find that kind of thing from any Newcastle United fan.
If you blame Eddie Howe for the summer 2025 Newcastle United signings then you ‘blame’ him for all the ones that arrived before then.
All of the senior Newcastle United signings made these past four years have seen Eddie Howe have the final say.
His judgment has been magnificent and the signings have been key to the success of these past four years, plus of course Eddie Howe working with both new signings and inherited players to improve them all.
It is also crazy and very premature to be making such negative judgements on the past summer’s major signings.
Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw have already shown themselves to be brilliant signings, whilst Yoane Wissa is also an excellent one in my opinion.
Eddie Howe was forced into a situation buy Isak where he had to replace him and it wasn’t Howe’s fault that Wissa got injured. The striker now showing his quality.
I think Jacob Ramsey is doing ok and will work out as at least a decent signing, whilst Anthony Elanga is still only 23 and has to be given time, the fact he had the highest number of PL assists last season shows he is no dud.
Even if he did prove to be, would one sizeable failure amongst so many stellar successes, really make Eddie Howe a failure when it comes to Newcastle United signings?