This already feels like a very different summer for Newcastle.
Whereas the Alexander Isak saga dragged on until Newcastle buckled and sold the Swede to Liverpool for £125m on deadline day, this time around, the club agreed to let Gordon go to Barcelona before the window even officially opened.
Similarly, whereas Newcastle spent £55m to make Anthony Elanga their first signing of last summer, this time around, the club have pivoted away from the Premier League proven market with their opening moves of the window.
Newcastle have always targeted players from the continent, as well as those with top-flight experience, but Jaouen’s arrival and the pursuit of Munoz have still signalled a shift in approach as the club look to learn lessons from last year’s bruising summer.
Newcastle have since widened their recruitment network.
They are attempting to sign younger players with the potential to grow with the club like Jaouen, who is 20, and Munoz, who is 22.
As BBC Sport previously reported, Newcastle are also bidding to make smarter use of data after sporting director Ross Wilson walked into a club whose operation was way behind what he left at Nottingham Forest in October 2025.
Yet, most noticeably, they are moving quickly.
After already signing Jaouen, Newcastle are looking to recruit Munoz, potentially even before he has the chance to catch the eye of other suitors with a cameo from the bench at the World Cup.
Leave a Reply