Newcastle United will get their Premier League campaign underway in two weeks as they hope to achieve better than their seventh-place finish last term. Indeed, the Magpies will not have European football to get in the way next time out, after failing to qualify following their memorable season back in the Champions League in 2023/24.
They kick off their season against newly promoted Southampton at St James’ Park. The Saints will be looking to continue their impressive form shown in the Championship last term, having won the playoff final against Leeds United. It could be a tricky start for the Toon.
The first trip on the road for Newcastle this season is one of the league’s longest away trips. They travel to the Vitality Stadium to face AFC Bournemouth, before hosting Tottenham Hotspur on the 1st of September at St James’ Park once again. The first few weeks will certainly be tough for Eddie Howe's men.
To stand them in the best stead, the Magpies will no doubt need to dip into the transfer window to strengthen their squad. They have already made some moves in the market, and have recently been linked with another Premier League star who can add quality and experience in defence.
Newcastle target Premier League defender
The player in question here is Liverpool and England international defender Joe Gomez. The 27-year-old featured plenty of times in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge at Anfield, but could now be one of the players sold by new manager Arne Slot.
According to a report from The Athletic, the Reds were in advanced negotiations with Newcastle to sell Gomez for £45m, with Anthony Gordon making the switch to Anfield in a separate deal but one dependent on the transfer of Gomez.
The report suggests that negotiations between the two clubs were so advanced that ‘payment terms were discussed’, and the England national team setup were asked if medicals could be conducted in Germany at Euro 2024, had the deals ended up going through.
At this stage, the deals are no longer imminent. However, ‘the landscape could soon shift’, with Liverpool still targeting Gordon and Gomez set to make a decision on his future in the coming days.
Why Gomez would be a good signing
There is no doubt that Gomez would add great experience and quality to a Newcastle backline that suffered badly from an injury crisis last season. He played 51 times in all competitions for the Reds last term, with 32 of those appearances coming in the Premier League.
Gomez could be an excellent alternative signing to Marc Guehi for the Magpies this summer. According to highly reputable journalist David Ornstein, Newcastle have opened talks for the Crystal Palace defender, who was one of the stars of the show for England at Euro 2024.
He is believed to be valued at £65m by the Eagles, £20m more than what Gomez would cost the Magpies this summer. However, the Liverpool man is on £85k-per-week, slightly more than the £50k-per-week that Guehi currently earns at Selhurst Park, as per Capology.
However, if a deal for Guehi falls through or is not possible for whatever reason, the Magpies could instead fully focus on bringing the 27-year-old Liverpool star to the club and maintain some of the quality they were looking to add at centre-back.
The pair are certainly comparable when looking at their FBref stats, and Gomez certainly comes out on top in plenty of different areas. Of course, a good place to begin looking is their defensive stats, and whilst they are not the be-all and end-all for defenders, you can still build a good picture.
Firstly, Gomez averages more tackles and interceptions than the Crystal Palace man per 90 minutes. The Liverpool defender averages 3.33, whereas Guehi lies a fair way below with 2.04 each game.
Not only that, Gomez is far superior in the air. He has an aerial duel win rate of 75%, yet Guehi averages slightly less, with just 50%. That is one area in which Gomez excels over the Palace defender. He is two inches taller, at 6 foot 2 compared to his England teammate who stands at around 6 foot.
Stat (per 90)
Gomez
Guehi
Ball recoveries
5.61
5.33
Aerial duel win %
75%
50%
Tackles and interceptions
3.33
2.04
Blocks
1.31
0.98
Clearances
2.53
3.96
The other aspect crucial to look at is their progressive play. In Howe’s direct system, being able to progress play quickly and efficiently is a huge benefit. The Liverpool man averages 5.05 progressive passes and 4.19 passes into the final third, compared to just 2.98 progressive passes and 4 final third passes for the Palace defender.
The final area Gomez excels in over Guehi is his progressive carrying. The former Charlton ace averages 2.22 per 90 minutes, as opposed to 0.67 for Guehi. Having the confidence to carry the ball out from the back, especially under pressure, could be important for Gomez to be able to do in Howe’s direct system.
Now, it is certainly important to take these stats on the ball with a pinch of salt. Last season, Gomez played in a side with far more average possession than Palace, with Liverpool averaging 61.3% as per Fbref, ranking third in the Premier League. In contrast, Palace ranked 15th in the top flight with just 42.3%.
All things considered, Gomez could perhaps be a better option for Newcastle to sign this summer than Guehi. His former manager Klopp highly rates him, calling him “exceptional”, and that is certainly reflected in his stats. It is fair to say Newcastle would be adding a top player to their squad.
Given he will cost £20m less than Guehi, and he brings plenty of experience and excellent progressive play in possession, it could be a superb deal for the Magpies to get over the line this summer.
Forget Thiaw: Newcastle could land dream signing for Guehi in £40m ace
The club are still targeting a centre-back this summer.
ByEthan LambAug 3, 2024