Trippier second-best PIF signing: Ranking all 13 Newcastle buys made by those filthy rich Saudis

Bayern Munich’s attempts to sign Newcastle United right-back Kieran Trippier got us thinking: is he Eddie Howe’s best signing at St James’ Park?

We answer our question by ranking all 13 purchases Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has made in the north east.

13) Matt Targett

We kick things off with a player brought in to play left-back until Howe inevitably signed a superior player with his Saudi riches. It was, however, a 6-foot-7-inch centre-back who took Targett’s starting spot.

That says everything you need to know about Targett’s time at Newcastle. Signed on loan in January 2022, the move became permanent for around £15million the following summer and while injuries haven’t helped, it has not been money well spent.

The ex-Aston Villa left-back has seven appearances across all competitions this season and will surely move on in the summer.

12) Lewis Hall

This was a transfer we backed to be one of the best of the 2023 summer transfer window but chances have surprisingly been scarce for 19-year-old Hall.

The teenager was signed on loan from Chelsea with the option to buy and as someone who can play as a left-back, winger or central midfielder, we thought he would have a big part to play in the Magpies’ 2023/24 campaign and would prove himself to be the perfect inverted full-back – a position that managers gush over in 2023.

Four starts in six months is not how Newcastle fan Hall envisioned his dream move going. There are now question marks over whether the transfer will become permanent.

11) Harvey Barnes

It feels like Newcastle’s riches could have been spent better elsewhere with Howe unable to splash out this month due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

A foot injury to Barnes has not helped his case at all, especially as he was only expected to be out for a few weeks at first. It’s now been four months.

He has the time and ability to come good for Newcastle, but the jury is out.

10) Chris Wood

There are more positives than there are negatives with this one, which might surprise you. Newcastle might have stayed up fairly comfortably after spending big in January 2022, so people tend to forget they were absolutely pants until the transfer window opened, failing to win any of their opening 14 Premier League fixtures.

All of this is relevant as it emphasises the importance of some of Wood’s goals in the Magpies’ battle against the drop. Okay, there might have only been two of them but they were both in one-goal victories.

The other positive is that the signing significantly weakened relegation rivals Burnley, who ended up going down after losing Wood to his £25m release clause.

That fee still raises eyebrows but Newcastle only lost around £10m when they sold him to Nottingham Forest last July.

9) Dan Burn

Some Newcastle fans are not the biggest of fans of Burn – the massive centre-back who took Targett’s left-back spot – but there is no doubt he has been a good signing for only £12m.

He has done fairly well as a left-back under Howe and it is a testament to him – but to the frustration of others – that he is still starting after the signings of promising full-backs Hall and Tino Livramento.

8) Sandro Tonali

Newcastle pulled off one of the signings of the summer in Tonali. It was a move that left many of us wondering why AC Milan were open to selling one of the best defensive midfielders in world football. It might have become pretty evident, pretty quickly.

Not low down in our ranking because of the ability he possesses, but because Tonali will not play again until next season after being given a huge suspension for illegal gambling during his time in Italy. It will cost him ten months of his career and Newcastle Champions League football, barring a miracle.

7) Tino Livramento

Newcastle took a chance on young Livramento – who played 26 minutes in the Premier League last season due to a cruciate ligament tear – by paying Southampton £30m for his services.

When given the chance to impress, he has shown that his serious knee injury has not harmed his ability and it is pretty surprising to see Burn favoured by Howe.

The nine-cap England Under-21 international can play right-back as comfortably as he can play left-back and is a dark horse to go to Euro 2024. He has to be a regular starter between now and the end of the season, though. Trippier’s exit will definitely help that.

OPINION: Newcastle United face running to stand still when Saudis want to fly…

6) Nick Pope

Pope placing sixth here shows just how well Newcastle have spent since being bought by PIF in October 2021.

The former Burnley shot-stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and his absence is currently being felt. In their last three league games, Newcastle have conceded ten goals and have six losses from their last seven matches in the top flight. All with Pope sidelined with a shoulder injury.

He might not be the best with the ball at his feet but Pope is a top ‘keeper. For £10m as well? Bravo, Magpies.

5) Anthony Gordon

We have never been so wrong about a player and neither have you. Probably.

When he was signed for £45m, Gordon was written off. He absolutely wasn’t worth the money but fast-forward a year and he is looking like a bargain.

Transfers like this remind us why Howe is getting paid millions and we are saying he is under pressure behind our laptop screens.

4) Sven Botman

This is another placement that simply does not justify how good he has been for the Geordies. Botman has been outstanding in England and is another player whose absence through injury has been notable this term.

The Dutchman has the potential to be one of the best centre-backs in the world but has a lot of competition for a starting spot at international level. He is currently battling with Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber and Matthijs de Ligt, to name a few.

That doesn’t matter to Newcastle, though. They will still be chuffed that they pulled this one off ahead of AC Milan, and for only £34m, which is very decent.

3) Alexander Isak

Another gem the Magpies have claimed is ex-Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak. His transfer fee was in the £60m vicinity, so there was a higher risk to this deal than the Botman one.

But like they did with Botman, Newcastle have absolutely nailed it with Isak. He could become the best in the Premier League if a) he continues his current trajectory and b) Erling Haaland bogs off.

2) Kieran Trippier

Trippier was the first big name in the door – for only £12m – and could be the first big name out of the door with Bayern keen on bringing him to Munich, and the 33-year-old reportedly keen on the move.

It would be a big shame to see Trippier leave and is a transfer that doesn’t make too much sense as it hardly solves Newcastle’s profit and sustainability problems, but given his form at the minute, the fans might not be too disheartened to see him go.

Should he leave, he will do so as the second-best PIF signing.

1) Bruno Guimaraes

Probably the most likely to be sold to help fund incoming transfers, Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes – who reportedly has a £100m release clause in his contract – has been outstanding for Newcastle since joining them from Lyon for £39m in PIF’s first transfer window.

He might appear to love the club but a transfer feels inevitable and despite his success at St James’ Park, it might be for the best.