Newcastle are ready to pay £60m to sign Aston Villa target

Newcastle United just need to get to the finish line. This summer, it looks set to be a factory reset for Eddie Howe’s side – and the manager could be among the exits after such a frustrating few months.

The Toon are 14th in the Premier League, and after four consecutive defeats, have been dragged into talks of an expected late relegation battle.

Howe’s side will probably be fine, but the Toon won’t be playing European football next season, unless something drastic happens, and it’s clear that changes are needed to bounce back.

Yoane Wissa, 28, is in danger of leaving Newcastle after a disappointing year. This has been a tough season for big-money players, but replacing him will be difficult, especially as interest in Anthony Gordon grows.

Newcastle are ready to pay the Premier League forward

Gordon, 25, is a Newcastle star, but it is clear he wants out of St. James’ Park this summer. Bayern Munich and Chelsea are interested, but the Magpies showed last summer with Alexander Isak that they will not budge from their £75m valuation.

There is no doubt that Newcastle will need a winning left-back to challenge Harvey Barnes, but Gordon has become more than just a wide striker, now a talisman for his team.

Since Wissa and Woltemade both leave a lot to be desired, this is understandable, because Isak hasn’t really been changed.

But Newcastle were still able to protect their man. According to Sports Boom, Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is being targeted by a number of Premier League outfits this summer. Newcastle have been joined by Aston Villa in pursuit of a deal.

Jackson spent the 2025/26 season on loan in Germany with Bayern Munich, but is understood to have played second fiddle to Harry Kane. Bayern will not commit to a permanent deal.

On Tyneside, he will be the main man, especially if Newcastle get their wish and part with Wissa, one year after signing the DR Congo international from Brentford for £55m.

Why Jackson would be better than Newcastle’s Wissa

It’s not Wissa’s fault that his early days as a Newcastle striker have been hampered by injury, but he has shown in the second half of the season that has never come close to paying off.

Last season, the experienced striker, who can play a number of different roles in the final third, excelled at Thomas Frank’s Brentford, but PIF are already ready to cut their losses.

The 29-year-old has never been less productive in front of goal, and that has been at the heart of his struggles at Newcastle. In Jackson, Newcastle will get a very dynamic and versatile striker, maybe not the most clinical but someone who plays the whole game and brings more to the table – certainly more than Wissa, who has been flat.

Newcastle are 12th in the standings this season for most chances created, with 52. In 2023/24, Howe’s finished second on that chart, with 97 big chances created.

Here, Jackson would sing his opponent. Described as a “beast” in attack by former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel, the Senegal striker has scored three goals and provided two assists in the Bundesliga this season, despite starting just three games. He impressed with his movement, intelligence and ambition.

With Chelsea, the 24-year-old scored 30 goals and provided 12 assists in 80 games. He had his faults, but Jackson was young, thrown into an unstable BlueCo project. He is still developing, and could thrive as the Magpies’ top man up top.

Jackson deserves to play regularly at the front of the top system, and whether Howe stays in charge or not, a well-executed execution of a clear strategy could fire Newcastle from promotion.

Wissa has not cut the stick yet, failed to use the admittedly few opportunities. Jackson, however, has stepped into any opening offered in Munich, and with Vincent Kompany’s side determined not to get him permanently, their loss could be Newcastle’s gain.