A summer of strengthening on and off the pitch - Newcastle United in 2023

There hasn't been a huge influx of new signings at St James' Park, but it's still been a successful summer both on and off the pitch for Newcastle United.

In this piece, we'll reflect on some of the positives we can take from the last few months heading into the new season and beyond:

Smart additions to Eddie Howe's squad

It's been quality over quantity so far, seeing us bring in a Champions League level midfielder in Sandro Tonali, Premier League proven winger in Harvey Barnes and one of the most exciting young full-backs in the country in Tino Livramento.

Not only that, we've recruited Gambian talent Yankuba Minteh following his breakthrough season in Denmark and immediately loaned the 19-year-old to Dutch giants Feyenoord.

A positive pre-season

Pre-season only means so much, but it's been largely positive in terms of our results, its competitive nature and the individual success stories that have emerged.

We're unbeaten heading into the Sela Cup weekend, will benefit from facing three good Premier League sides in the US Summer Series and have seen local Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley shine, along with Anthony Gordon return full of confidence after winning the U21 Euros with England.

Proactive moves off the pitch

It's been hugely encouraging to see the club's commercial growth over the summer, as it's key in our ongoing battle with FFP restrictions. A lucrative front-of-shirt deal has been struck with Sela - worth £25m per-season according to Erik King - and the Amazon series is expected to be worth in excess of £10m.

We've also invested in our finance department behind the scenes. Jonathan Kane joins from Liverpool to become our new Director of Partnerships, with Simon Capper arriving from Leicester to become our new chief financial officer (CFO).

In other off-field moves, plans to extend St James' Park remain active, a fanzone is in the pipeline and our training ground continues to receive a much needed refresh. On the pitch, our involvement in the PL Summer Series and creation of the Sela Cup will also have its benefits.

Academy investment

Dan Ashworth has overseen an overhaul of Newcastle’s academy recruitment team, with 13 new arrivals confirmed to ensure we are bringing through some of the best young talent from up and down the country and around the world.

We've announced a 'strategic relationship' with NIFL side Larne, showing our eagerness to tap into the Irish market and have signed a host of highly-rated domestic talents at U16 level; one of those being England youth international Leo Shahar.

At U21 level, we're closing in on AC Milan’s Cathal Heffernan and Inter’s Kevin Zefi, highlighting our ongoing desire to recruit future stars who could save the club a fortune in the future.