Eddie Howe and Newcastle United will need to perform well in the 2024–2025 Premier League season if they are to make a run at the top four and a Champions League berth.
The Magpies participated in the most prestigious club competition in football for the first time in twenty years, but they were eliminated from a group that featured Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
It provided a generation of supporters with a campaign they would never forget, but it also raised hopes that they would qualify consistently in order to repeat the success they had in the 2022–2023 campaign.
Odysseas Vlachodimos, Lloyd Kelly, and Will Osula are all expected to arrive on Tyneside this summer, but more players are required to launch a credible challenge for a top-four position this season.
Before the window closes on August 30th, more acquisitions are anticipated, and the club will have the chance to sign a highly promising young player.
Newcastle could land £13m attacking sensation
Howe has been looking for a fresh attacker to pair Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak in the final third in an effort to try and strengthen his attacking line.
Although there hasn’t been any progress in finding a new attacker, Newcastle may be able to get Rayan Cherki of Lyon, as the Ligue 1 team is searching for possible homes for the young player.
The 20-year-old was on the Magpies’ radar throughout the summer, but no offer was ever made for the Frenchman. However, Howe’s team now has a new opportunity because of the Frenchman’s unsuccessful transfer to Dortmund.
According to earlier reports, the young player may be available this summer for as cheap as €15 million (£13 million). This is a fantastic bargain for a prospect who contributed seven goals to Ligue 1 last year.
Cherki, who is only 20 years old, has plenty of time to improve at St. James’ Park and maybe emulate the player who won over many fans during his tenure there.
Why Cherki could be Newcastle’s new Ben Arfa
Hatem Winger During Mike Ashley’s tenure of Newcastle, Ben Arfa was a bright spot at a difficult time for the team. The French winger was a sensation in the Premier League.
He was a mystery when he came to Tyneside in the summer of 2010, but his skill and straight dribbling helped him make an immediate impression on the first team.
His greatest moment wearing a Magpies shirt was definitely during the 2-0 victory over Bolton in 2012. He picked up the ball within his own half, took on the entire opposition, and finished into the bottom corner.
Over the course of his four-year stay at Newcastle, he made 86 appearances and scored 14 goals. Ten years after his departure, Howe was given the chance to acquire Ben Arfa, the team’s next acquisition.
Ben Arfa and Cherki have a lot in common. They are both from the same country and were both able to go through Lyon’s academy before securing a berth in the starting lineup.
“Rayan Cherki is… you know Hatem Ben Arfa who played for Newcastle and for Nice, Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Lyon, skill-wise one of the best players already on earth, 20 years old unbelievable,” fellow Frenchman Frank Leboeuf said to ESPN last year. He also drew the same comparison.
“The guy has an amazing right foot for a left-footed player, and he can do it all.” But he still has to grow better, and like Hatem, he’s young. When he needs to throw the ball up, he either does it half a second too early or half a second too late. For me, football is all about rhythm; he needs to really comprehend it.”
Cherki would be a great addition to Howe’s team based on his 2023–24 campaign statistics; he possesses all the qualities needed to succeed in his compatriot’s footsteps.
| Rayan Cherki’s stats per 90 in Ligue 1 (2023/24) | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Tally |
| Games played | 33 |
| Goals + assists | 7 |
| Pass accuracy | 78% |
| Progressive passes | 7.2 |
| Progressive carries | 4.9 |
| Successful take-ons | 4.2 |
| Shots taken | 3 |
| Stats via FBref | |
Like the former Newcastle star, he demonstrated his determination to enter the final third by averaging 4.9 progressive carries and 4.2 successful take-ons per 90, cutting into his preferred left foot.
According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Cherki is a “world-class” player who averaged 7.2 progressive passes per 90, showing that he can find a teammate in the last third and help players like Isak increase their own goal totals.
Howe could be able to call off his hunt for a new right-sided attacker if the Magpies were to pay £13 million for a player of his caliber.
With his resemblance to previous great Ben Arfa, the club is taking a gamble that might pay off in the long run by potentially generating a significant profit on the small amount he accepts.
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