The calm before the storm - Big signings coming soon at Newcastle United?

Newcastle United have started the summer with four signings. We've triggered Lewis Hall's £28m permanent move, secured a very handy free transfer in Lloyd Kelly and brought in two back-up goalkeepers in Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy.

All make sense in their own way, but it's fair to say our summer is yet to take off. However, with last month's PSR scramble out of the way, Minteh and Anderson sold and major tournaments finally coming to an end following the Euro and Copa America finals on Sunday, I fully expect things to pick up over the next week or two.

We've kept spending to a minimum so far, with three of our four buys arriving without a transfer fee, but we're one month away from the 2024/25 season kicking off and still at least three key signings short heading into a huge campaign for Eddie Howe's Newcastle.

The window always picks up from July onwards, but the completion of Euro 2024 and Copa America could be a catalyst for activity, not to mention the fact new sporting director Paul Mitchell is now on Tyneside and finalising transfer plans before we make formal moves.

A young, right-sided centre-back able to push Fabian Schar is wanted - and needed with Jamaal Lascelles still recovering from an ACL. A right-winger is the big one to offer an upgrade on Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy and should take up the majority of our summer budget, while a striker to keep Alexander Isak on his toes is the other one to watch, with Callum Wilson tipped to depart now he's entered the final 12 months of his contract.

It's been a quiet two weeks since June ended with that chaotic PSR scramble that saw us sell Minteh and Anderson, but this very much feels like the calm before the storm as Newcastle enter a crucial stage of the summer window and opportunity to land key targets in good time for the new season, with Howe always keen to blood in new recruits well before the campaign kicks off.

Malick Thiaw is a leading target at centre-back as Newcastle look to capitalise on long-term interest and his slight dip in value from a mixed 2023/24 season.

A host of names have been mentioned in our right-winger search. I'm expecting a surprise to crop up soon on that front, while links to Jonathan David make total sense, with the Lille striker not only someone we've tracked for several seasons but becoming available at a cut-price fee this summer now he's entered the final 12 months of his current deal.

I wouldn't rule out the signing of another midfielder - Anderson has been sold, Miley facing three months out and Longstaff's situation remains slightly up in the air - but I think we can expect to see some movement in our hunt for a centre-back and right-winger in the next week or two, with the futures of Almiron and Wilson also an area of focus.