Hull City (a) SOLD OUT
Girona (h) Public sale now
Brest (h) Public sale now

Old boy:
Maxi moves again

A year after moving from Newcastle to Al-Ahli on a three year deal Allan Saint-Maximin has left the Saudi Arabian club on loan.

The 27 year-old Frenchman will spend the coming season at Turkish side Fenerbache, where he'll be coached by Jose Mourinho.

The Istanbul-based side begin pre-season preparations with a home friendly against Championship side Hull City.

England:
Ready, Eddie, go?

News of Gareth Southgate's resignation as England manager on Tuesday triggered media speculation that Eddie Howe is on the FA's shortlist to replace him.

The Times claim that the Newcastle boss is the FA's preferred candidate, along with the unattached Graham Potter and England U21 boss Lee Carsley.

50 year-old Carsley has been in charge of the U21s since 2021, winning the Euros last year while Potter has been jobless since leaving Chelsea in April 2023.

Interviewed via Zoom on Tuesday, United CEO Darren Eales pledged to rebuff any potential approach for Howe, saying that:

"Eddie is under a long-term contract with the club. You see him, he loves the day to day of club football and we have an exciting project here in terms of the commitment from the ownership and the journey we want to go on. 

"We are really excited about this season ahead. For us, he is exactly the right man for the project we are on at Newcastle United and that is why we are committed to a long term deal with him. That’s why we think he’s the right man for Newcastle. We love him.

"I’ve spent the last three months with Eddie in terms of how we’re planning for Newcastle United for the season ahead.

"For us as a club Eddie has done a brilliant job. He’s a great developer of players. He gets the psyche of the club and Newcastle and the fans. We’ve seen that with the way the team and the supporters have that affinity. “

Eales also revealed that Howe agreed an extension to his Newcastle contract last year.

“I don’t want to talk on it but it’s a multi-year deal and in those circumstances, like any employee from us, there will have to be compensation paid.

"Again, it’s hypothetical but he’s under a multi-year deal, there’s not a set number, it’s about he’s our employee so from that perspective we’re not looking to release Eddie for all the reasons I’ve spoken about.

"He’s a top coach, he’s the right coach for Newcastle United at the right moment and this is the coach we want to lead the club for the future."

Howe meanwhile hasn't made any public comment but is scheduled to speak to the media later this week. 

He's previously stated a preference for the day-to-day management of a club side but also expressed a desire to lead England at some stage in his career.

Coral odds here (in Football Specials):

Howe 9/4
Potter 11/4
Carsley 11/4

2024/25:
Germany calling

Newcastle's senior squad are now in Germany for a week-long training camp at the adidas HQ in Herzogenaurach.

Pictured in action on Tuesday were Emil Krafth and Alexander Isak, who both played for Sweden after the end of the last club season.

International participation means that Miguel Almiron, Martin Dubravka, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar and Kieran Trippier will all have additional time off.

Development squad players Jamie Miley, Cathal Heffernan and Treven Sanusi have travelled.

Also present was Garang Kuol, ahead on an expected loan departure. He wore the 32 squad number vacated by Elliot Anderson.

Of the three returning domestic loanees, there was no sign of Ryan Fraser or Isaac Hayden but Jamal Lewis was spotted.

Speaking of numbers, Lloyd Kelly looks to have taken 25, Odysseas Vlachodimos 19 and John Ruddy 26 - the latter vacant since Karl Darlow's departure. Harvey Barnes meanwhile wore 11 - available following Matt Ritchie's exit.

Recently-appointed Sporting Director Paul Mitchell and Performance Director James Bunce were present, along with CEO Darren Eades and CCO Peter Silverstone.

Also spotted was director Jamie Reuben but Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi have now left the club.   

There's still no mention of whether any game will be played in Germany, amid claims that Eddie Howe's side will face both Gateshead and Leeds United behind closed doors at some point in pre-season.

A behind closed doors kickabout against Burnley has been announced by the Championship side on an as yet undisclosed date. It's one of five friendlies that the Clarets will play at their training ground.

It's widely assumed that the behind closed doors games are to meet the conditions of Sandro Tonali's ban, allowing him to get some match practice before his return in late August.

Pre-season public games (confirmed):

Sat 27.07.2024 Hull City (a)
Wed 31.07.2024 Urawa Red Diamonds (a)
Sat 03.08.2024 Yokohama F Marinos (a)
Fri 09.08.2024 Girona (h)
Sat 10.08.2024 Brest (h) 

There's no weekend ticket or discount for purchasing both home games together. 
 
2024/25 season Magpie Mover tickets are on sale to season ticket holders here. The price remains £25, more details here. 

NB: ST holders must be logged on to their NUFC ticket account on order to purchase Magpie Movers.

Due to transport funding restrictions, NUFC members cannot purchase Magpie Movers. 

Magpie Mover tickets are not valid for home friendlies.

Internationals:
Losing start 
for Toon teen 

The U19 European Championship finals are currently taking place in Northern Ireland, with Newcastle's Travis Hernes selected in the Norwegian squad. 

The midfielder was in the starting line-up for Monday's group stage opener against Italy, playing 80 minutes as his side were beaten 1-2 at Seaview in Belfast.

Next up for Norway are meetings with Ukraine on Thursday and then hosts Northern Ireland on Sunday.

Nippon 7:
Sayonara, pet

Ahead of United's first games there in almost 30 years, our Japan correspondent Simon Moran recalls witnessing the Mike Ashley era from afar here

Update:
Here are the 
young men

Newcastle confirm that 11 players have signed their first professional contracts at Gallowgate:

Aidan Harris, Dylan Charlton, Anthony Munda, Harry Powell, Rory Powell, Johnny Emerson, Sean Neave, Scott Bailey, Josh Donaldson, Adam Harrison and Darren Palmer.

Meanwhile, an intake of 14 new scholars was announced by United's Academy:  

Will Anderson, Guy Bloomer, Jude Cogdon, Jake Durrant, Matheos Ferreira, Henry Johnson, Tyler Jones, Alex O’Donovan, Matt Taylor, Mo Waddani, Kacey Wooster, Kayden Lucas, Ezra Tika-Lemba and Aaron Epia. 

Three of those were previously with other clubs:

Kayden Lucas striker, Clevedon Town
Aaron Epia defender, Everton
Ezra Tika-Lemba defender, West Ham

Update:
Transfers

First team arrivals and departures:

Inbound:
Odysseas Vlachodimos Nottingham Forest
John Ruddy unattached
Lloyd Kelly unattached
Lewis Hall Chelsea 

Outbound:
Elliot Anderson Nottingham Forest
Yankuba Minteh Brighton
Paul Dummett unattached
Matt Ritchie unattached
Loris Karius unattached
Kell Watts unattached
Jeff Hendrick unattached  

Old boys:
Unlikely lads

SJP old boys with new clubs/jobs include:

Craig Bellamy Wales Manager
Kyle Cameron St.Johnstone (loan)
Adam Campbell Hartlepool United
Lewis Cass Grimsby Town
Ian Cathro Estoril (Portugal) Head Coach
Luke Charman Hartlepool United
Stephen Clemence Barrow Head Coach
Kyle Crossley South Shields
Ryan Donaldson Blyth Spartans
Cameron Ferguson Inverness CT (Scotland)
Owen Gallacher Stockton Town
Dan Gosling Westfield
Jamie Holmes North Shields
Jack Hunter Hartlepool United
Joselu Al-Gharafa (Qatar)
Dan Langley Morpeth Town
Michael Ndiweni Darlington (trial)
Michael Newberry Cliftonville
Scott Parker Burnley Manager
Ben Pollock Chester
Allan Saint-Maximin Fenerbahce (Turkey)
Antoine Sibierski Troyes DoF (France)
Moussa Sissoko Watford
Dylan Stephenson Dagenham & Redbridge
Jude Smith Carlisle United
Lewis Suddick North Shields
Ben Tozer Forest Green Rovers
Dan Ward South Shields
Kell Watts Cambridge United
Callum Williams Tow Law Town

Ex-Magpies looking for new clubs include:

Mehdi Abeid Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey)
Chris Basham Sheffield United
Ciaran Clark Stoke City
Shane Ferguson Rotherham United
Dwight Gayle Derby County
Paul Huntington Carlisle United
Kazenga LuaLua Charlton Athletic
Jonathan Mitchell Harrogate Town
Islam Slimani Anderlecht (Belgium)
Patrick van Aanholt Galatasaray (Turkey)
Josef Yarney Tranmere Rovers

Off-field departures include:

Habib Beye Red Star Paris (France)
Emre Ankaragucu (Turkey)
Steve Guppy Nashville SC (USA)
Kevin Nolan West Ham