Newcastle are embarking on a £35m bid to sign the midfielder

Newcastle United’s relegation in 2025/26 will be of great concern to the Saudi PIF, especially given their investment in recent seasons.

Last summer alone, more than £180m was spent on new additions to strengthen Eddie Howe’s side, but their investment failed to have the desired impact in the Premier League.

The Magpies finished the last campaign in 12th place, after which they missed out on any form of European football for the 2026/27 campaign.

Howe has been given the benefit of the doubt and will take charge of the club again next term, but there will undoubtedly be huge pressure on the 48-year-old to deliver.

Money will be pumped into Tyneside again this window, with a number of high profile players already appearing on their shortlist in recent weeks.

Newcastle could have a £35m bid accepted for the European star

A few days ago, Newcastle already secured their first signing of the summer after goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen arrived from French club Reims.

However, the Magpies’ efforts have shown no signs of slowing down over time, as evidenced by their interest in signing Victor Munoz in recent weeks.

There are rumors that a deal is nearing completion on Tyneside, but a fee still needs to be agreed with Osasuna before the Spaniard can complete his move.

He is not the only player currently being targeted by Howe, with Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram also being considered ahead of the 2026/27 season.

According to TuttoSport, Newcastle have registered an interest in the French player, who has played 35 games in Serie A this campaign.

The report says that Nottingham Forest and Sunderland are two other Premier League clubs in the race to secure the French player’s signature at the moment as all three clubs have started working on a possible move by sending scouts to monitor his performance.

The Old Lady are reluctant to offload the 25-year-old during the transfer window, but they could be tempted to cash in if they receive an offer in the region of €40m (£35m).

Why Thuram would be better than Newcastle’s Tonali

As seen last summer with Alexander Isak and already this window with Anthony Gordon, Newcastle often cash in and sell some of their biggest talents.

Sandro Tonali is another player who could end up in the aforementioned category, and the Italian has been heavily linked with a move away from St James’ Park this summer.

The 26-year-old is attracting interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur – with the lack of European football on Tyneside the reason for his departure.

Howe’s side will want less money if Tonali leaves the club this summer, with any interested parties demanding a £80m fee.

However, it could be a blessing in disguise for the Magpies in this window, especially if they can make a big deal for the former AC Milan player and secure a deal for Thuram.

The Frenchman has caught the eye in Italy over the past few months, as evidenced by his impressive numbers in the 2025/26 campaign – many of which were better than Tonali’s.

Thuram, labeled “world-class” by one sportswriter, managed a 2.2 out of 90, while hitting over 54% of the ground balls he entered.

Both of the aforementioned figures were more than Tonali produced at St James’ Park – highlighting the Juve star’s dominance off the ball.

He also managed to achieve a 62% dribble success rate in Serie A, to go along with an 88% pass rate – two figures better than the Magpies’ number eight.

The Frenchman’s skills in possession, combined with his skill set off the ball, arguably make him an excellent option – and better than Tonali.

Selling the Italian would have a negative impact on Howe’s plans for next campaign, but the absence of European football could make it more difficult to keep hold of his fans’ favourite.

However, Thuram’s departure will undoubtedly lessen the blow of his departure and possibly give the Magpies a better version of the box-to-box midfielder.

At just £35m, it could be a big-money addition and one that could get Newcastle back up the Premier League table in 2026/27.