The Newcastle players whose stock has risen and fallen in 2023-24
What a frustrating campaign it's been, with so much promise but a side ultimately failing to capitalise on pivotal moments.
Be it Milan at home, Chelsea in the Carabao quarters or Manchester United at Old Trafford, the big games have left a residual hollowness that will define this season of extreme highs and lows.
Injuries have certainly caused the biggest impact, while the expanded schedule and Eddie Howe's reluctance to call upon youth ahead of Paul Dummett and Matt Ritchie haven't enhanced our chances.
It isn't unusual to witness transition at this stage in a manager's tenure:
Alan Pardew's difficult second season saw his NUFC side drop from 5th to 16th, Kenny Dalglish 2nd to 13th, Sir Bobby remained 11th despite heightened expectations, Glenn Roeder's troops dropped from 7th to 14th and even KK saw his second Premier League term end in a disappointing 6th position following 3rd the previous year.
It hasn't all been disastrous after all, and last summer's window increasingly looks like one for the future, with Yankuba Minteh, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento showing signs of top-tier potential, and marquee additions Harvey Barnes and Sandro Tonali's inaugural seasons in black and white wrecked by injury and suspension respectively.
HEATING UP 🔥🔥🔥
Yankuba Minteh has excelled during his loan spell at Feyenoord this season.
The 19 year-old has managed 11 goals and 5 assists in his 35 matches for the Dutch title contenders.
Predominantly left-footed, the youngster will need to fill out a little and add consistency to his game before he can take the Premier League by storm, but with bags of potential he has lit up the Eredivisie, with a second loan deal mooted.
Anthony Gordon has been Newcastle's standout player in 2023-24, emerging as one of England's brightest young talents.
His 11 league goals and 10 assists (plus another six technical 'assists' from penalties won) make him only the second Magpie to achieve double figures for both in a Premier League season — the criminally underrated Ruel Fox netting 10 and assisting 11 times in 1994-95.
Lewis Hall had a challenging start to life in the North-East, with Eddie Howe seemingly reluctant to give minutes to the former Chelsea full-back.
Having starred for the South London club at the business end of the previous campaign, the teenage defender was unable to gain a regular place in Newcastle's side, despite bursts of promise.
The quarter-final FA Cup exit to Manchester City proved a watershed moment, with Hall providing a cameo bristling with attacking intent and boundless energy despite the struggles of his teammates.
A string of excellent displays have followed, with Hall now firmly established at one of the most promising young defenders in Europe — so much so that Borussia Dortmund have been credited with an interest in the exceptional prospect.
Hall's namesake Lewis Miley is another teenager to prosper, with the midfield maestro appearing 26 times for Newcastle's first team, despite only turning 18 earlier this month.
One of four footballing brothers (three at Newcastle, one at Sunderland), Miley rarely looked out of place in Champions League and top-flight fixtures.
Already standing at over 6'2, Lewis has suffered some injuries as a result of growing pains, with rumblings of another growth spurt on the way... Could he be the first 7 foot Premier League footballer?!
Aleksander Isak is Newcastle's first player to score 20 Premier League goals in a season since Alan Shearer in 2003-04.
Although there remain question marks over his best position, the quantity of goals can't be questioned.
As a result, the 24 year-old Swede has been linked with a myriad of top sides, most notably Arsenal, although a new contract is thought to be close and Isak appears settled on Tyneside.
Bruno Guimaraes has provided the continuity in the middle of the park during a season of stretched resources.
The Brazilian remains the heartbeat of the side, chipping in with half a dozen goals, including a galvanising brace against Nottingham Forest.
He is quite simply a delight, both on and off the pitch, and fans will hope he hangs around for at least one more season, with the bright lights of Madrid and... Manchester calling.
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Tino Livramento has shown plenty of promise, but was already very highly rated, and expected to become a star — hence the £40m outlay.
Trevan Sanusi has been one of the stars of the youth side, despite only recently turning 17. The young winger joined from Birmingham City in the summer and recently signed his first professional contract for the Toon.
COOLING OFF 🥶🥶🥶
Callum Wilson has struggled with injuries and, while his goal threat remains, the 32 year-old forward has become a selection liability.
The club's number nine looked worryingly out of his depth in the Champions League, suggesting that perhaps his ceiling is the Premier League rather than playing Milan, Dortmund and PSG on a regular basis.
A top player, the club will need to decide whether to try and cash in or keep Wilson as backup for the final year of his contract.
Sven Botman was another player afflicted by injury, suffering two separate ACL injuries, the most recent of which curtailed his season prematurely.
In truth, he never looked quite right after going off against Liverpool in the third match of the season, deciding to rest rather than get surgery first time round.
The Dutchman is one of Newcastle's crown jewels and at 24 has plenty of time to recover and return to his previous excellent levels.
Kieran Trippier started the season on fire, before being sent home from England duty as a result of a personal matter in November.
From there his form deserted him, with a slew of errors proving costly as Newcastle lost 6 of 7 matches from December to January.
A £13m offer from Bayern Munich was rejected, with the 33 year-old deemed indispensable despite his struggles and the emergence of Valentino Livramento at right back.
Harvey Barnes missed most of the first half of the campaign with a toe injury, but his form since returning has been far from consistent.
An inspirational cameo against West Ham saw the former Leicester winger net a brace in a 4-3 win, and a well taken equaliser earned Newcastle a point in a bizarre 4-4 home draw with Luton Town.
Has made almost no positive impact in the past half dozen games, and appears fed up to find himself behind Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon in the wide berth pecking order.
Matt Targett is the forgotten man of the squad, having lost his place last season and has been besieged by injury woes this time out.
The 28 year-old left back is reportedly earning £100,000 per week, meaning he'll be difficult to shift.
Garang Kuol, in contrast to fellow Eredivisie loanee Minteh, has flopped with relegated Volendam.
The 19 year-old was hailed a superstar of the future when called up to the Australia squad for the World Cup last year, but a pair of ill-fated loan spells have seen his equity drop.
The club will hopefully allow him a season on loan to a lower league English club in 2024-25, with a recall option if the young winger isn't getting enough game time.
He's so young that we need to remain patient.
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Needless to say, other players have had their lows.
Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett were never intended to actually play in the first team, but neither should ever again when there are talented youngsters in the ranks.
Harrison Ashby can't make the bench of a Championship squad and needs to move on.
Jeff Hendrick thought he'd found his level with a relegation battling second-tier side... Turns out even that is way too high up the food chain for the pedestrian plodder.
Sean Longstaff has been mentioned in negative terms by sections of supporters, but has struck 8 goals and had enough moments of positivity to avoid being called out for it — we all know his ceiling is low.
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