Newcastle United look set for a big summer in the transfer market.
The Magpies are just one win away from Champions League qualification and could seal the deal on Monday night in front of home support against Leicester.
As a result, a raft of big name signings can surely be expected to arrive over the course of the summer.
Already, names are being linked with a move to St James’ Park.
One of those is Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.
What scouts are saying about Moussa Diaby
Previously described as Eddie Howe’s “dream signing”, the forward is also said to be of interest to both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
The French international has long been tipped with a £60m move to Newcastle pretty much since the takeover.
Now, some interesting insight has emerged in regards to how scouts around the game view Diaby.
Indeed, The Athletic claim scouts view Diaby as something like an Allan Saint-Maximin-type talent. The 23-year-old is seen as more of a “wildcard” maverick able to affect games in big moments rather than perhaps a more rounded attacker in form of Serge Gnabry or Bukayo Saka.
That sounds exciting – but perhaps not what Newcastle need right now
While Newcastle fans have been treated to quite a few mavericks over the years, it’s perhaps not what they need right now.
Saint-Maximin is no longer a regular starter under Howe himself and though Diaby clearly isn’t exactly the same kind of profile, it does say something about the players the Magpies coach prefers.
With European football on the calendar, Newcastle need a bigger squad to strive for consistency across a number of competitions. With that in mind, it’s difficult to see them taking another risk on a maverick when Saint-Maximin is hardly getting a regular look in as it is.
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Eddie Howe’s going to need a bigger Newcastle United squad – whatever happens in the club’s two remaining games.
Eddie Howe’s hinted at the squad strengthening needed at Newcastle United this summer.
The third-placed is just one win away from a return to the Champions League after an absence of 20 years after last night’s 4-1 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Newcastle are four points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
Howe’s team were relentless against Roberto De Zerbi’s side, and United’s head coach was asked if the players could play with the same intensity if the club was also playing in Europe.
“It’s a good question,” said Newcastle’s head coach. “We need to figure that out.”
Newcastle’s owners have invested heavily in players since taking over the club in October 2021, but the squad still lacks depth, something Howe hopes will be further addressed in the summer transfer window.
Whether United are in the Champions League or Europa League next season, Howe will need to rotate his squad to keep players fresh enough to fight on two, or more, fronts.
Asked if the club needed more signings, Howe added: “Well, I think if you have a strong squad, rotation will be important.
“Rotation’s going to be important, utilising the whole squad’s going to be important.
“We haven’t felt the necessity to necessarily do that on a consistent basis, because we’ve been in one competition – of course, we had the cup run.
“We have rotated to a degree, but maybe not in the numbers that we might need to next year.
“If you’re going to do that, then the squad needs to be strong enough, so if you put out two XIs, they’re of equal strength.”
The departures of Jonjo Shelvey and Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest left Newcastle short in a couple of areas.
“We’re going to be defined by the Premier League as well, because it’s a 25-man squad, but losing Chris Wood and Jonjo Shelvey in January was a blow to us in terms of our overall strength,” said Howe.
“I know we brought Anthony (Gordon) in, but Jonjo’s departure left us light in midfield.”
United take on relegation-threatened Leicester City at St James’ Park on Monday night, and finish their campaign with a fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on May 28.
