Alan Shearer raises five Newcastle concerns

It's been a slow start to the summer transfer window from Newcastle United.

We're yet to bring in a first team signing despite Eddie Howe's "speed is key" message minutes after the 2024/25 season finished and several players we attempted to sign have ended up elsewhere.

Alan Shearer has been discussing the opening month of the window on the Rest Is Football Podcast, where Gary Lineker asked our former number nine if he's concerned.

Shearer's reply wasn't one of panic, but he did flag up five concerns, questioning the lack of sporting director following Paul Mitchell's exit, our CEO uncertainty with Darren Eales leaving, our lack of activity so far and two blows that saw us miss out on Bryan Mbeumo and Joao Pedro.

"I am a bit (concerned)" Shearer said when asked about our slow start to the summer. "There's no sporting director, is there? The chief executive [Darren Eales] is going."

"They lost out on (Bryan) Mbeumo, they lost out on (Joao) Pedro, they were heavily linked with James Trafford.

"I would like to see a little bit more activity in Newcastle."

In a previous podcast appearance last month, Shearer also revealed his disappointment at Liam Delap picking Chelsea over Newcastle in a £30m move from Ipswich:

“I think he is a bit old-fashioned," Shearer said. "He is like a throwback from what a centre-forward was 20 or 30 years ago when they were all in fashion. Aggressive, horrible to play against, doesn’t mind mixing it up, can run in behind.”

“Obviously he scores goals. The number of goals he scored in a really struggling team. That is only going to get better. At his age, the ability he has got now. I think he has got a really bright future.

“I like him. I would have liked to have seen Newcastle get him, but for whatever reason he has decided to go to Chelsea. I think that is a really smart move for them.”

Hopefully we can put recent setbacks behind us, sort out the sporing director and CEO uncertainty soon and strike quickly for new signings, with a goalkeeper, centre-back, right winger and striker still needed.

With some of the squad due back for pre-season training on Monday, where Howe will be back to work, we need to get moving soon to avoid giving ourselves too much to do in the weeks building up to the 2025/26 season.