HOW DID NEWCASTLE FARE LAST SEASON?
The Magpies achieved their most successful season since the 1950s, when they last won a trophy and finished in the highest echelons of the table, albeit now also earning a Champions League berth thanks to a fifth-placed finish.
That seemed far-fetched back in December when they were 12th with only five league wins, but a run of nine victories in all competitions pushed them into top-five contention as well as a League Cup final, where they put in an incredible display to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to finally end a 56-year wait for major silverware.
That has assured Eddie Howe of legendary status on Tyneside, who kept his side focused on further glory and steered them into Europe’s premier club competition for the second time in three seasons.
HAVE NEWCASTLE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW?
Constrained by PSR, Newcastle finally managed to loosen the pursestrings to bring in Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for a reported £55 million, making him the second-highest purchase in the club’s history, only behind the talismanic Alexander Isak.
Speculation has swirled around the Swedish striker all summer, amidst interest from Liverpool, but he remains a Newcastle player. However, Lloyd Kelly has seen his loan move to Juventus made permanent for £15 million, while long-serving midfielder Sean Longstaff left his boyhood club to sign for newly-promoted Leeds United for the same figure.
Callum Wilson has departed on a free transfer, as has full-back Jamal Lewis.
WHO HAVE NEWCASTLE SELECTED FOR THEIR TOUR?
The major news is who hasn’t been included in the travelling party, with Isak remaining on Tyneside, reportedly due to a slight thigh strain, an issue which has plagued him for the past few seasons. That leaves young prospect Will Osula as the only senior striker on the trip.
Having been out since March with a broken foot, Lewis Hall has made the trip to Asia, but goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has been left at home.
Goalkeepers: Nick Pople, Odysseas Vlachodimos, John Ruddy, Mark Gillespie, Max Thompson
Defenders: Kieran Trippier, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Emil Krafth, Matt Targett, Harrison Ashby, Sven Botman, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Jamaal Lascelles, Alex Murphy
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley, Joe Willock
Forwards: Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, William Osula, Sean Neave, Alfie Harrison, Anthony Munda, Travis Hernes
HOW HAVE NEWCASTLE FARED IN PRE-SEASON SO FAR?
The Magpies kicked off their summer schedule with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Carlisle United, beating the Cumbrians 4-0 thanks to goals from Longstaff, Joelinton, Alex Murphy and Ben Parkinson.
After a training camp in Austria, last weekend saw them suffer defeat by the same scoreline at Celtic, although the Scottish champions had already warmed up with five previous friendlies. Speaking post-match, Howe said: “I think the pre-season is designed to really stretch us. This was a test that maybe came a little bit too early for us.”
After playing us, Newcastle head to South Korea for games against a K League XI and Tottenham Hotspur, before home friendlies 24 hours apart against Espanyo
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