The rise of Newcastle United in the English Premier League this season has been a joy to watch, as the proud north eastern club are currently on track to finish in the top four and book a Champions League spot for the first time in two decades.
Their play this campaign has been a stark contrast from the Newcastle United squads we have been accustomed to in recent years, with the Magpies shockingly having been relegated to the Championship on two separate occasions throughout the 2000s.
Fans and pundits of English football point to a myriad of reasons as to why they believe the men in black and white stripes have managed to turn their fortunes around and experience great success in 2022/23. Some highlight the appointment of Eddie Howe halfway through last season, who took a United team battling relegation and guided them to a respectable 11th place finish.
Others will list the number of key and affordable signings they were able to make in recent windows – most notably of which include Kieran Trippier, Nick Pope and Dan Burn. However, while those aforementioned explanations are certainly a part of their prosperity – there’s no doubting the enormous positive impact the new ownership has had on their newfound success.
The Saudi-led consortium, who acquired the club for £300 million, have spent more than £165 million in 2022/23 – and while that’s a conservative figure when compared to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United – that number will only continue to grow as time progresses. While spending money hasn’t particularly worked for Chelsea in recent seasons, there are plenty of other clubs you can look to where it has – Manchester City being the prime example.
Since the Sky Blues were bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, the Manchester club has experienced unbelievable success at the domestic level that includes six Premier League titles in the past 11 years. Whether or not United will be able to replicate that type of dominance is yet to be seen, but the promise they have shown this season is encouraging.
However, they can’t afford to rest on their laurels and become complacent. If a club wants to become elite on the international stage, they need to be participating in the best and most prestigious tournaments professional football has to offer. Which is why it is crucial that Newcastle maintain their form up until the final day of the Premier League season and secure their place in the Champions League next season.
It appears the majority believe they will, with Newcastle paying an extremely short 1/9 in the top 4 odds at the time of writing. Not only is it important due to the fact that it provides the club with legitimacy again – it will also help attract some of the world’s best players who want to compete on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
They may even attract superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been linked with the club in recent months. While that may be wishful thinking, stranger things have happened. But that will only occur if they secure Champions League football, which is just another reason as to why a top four finish is paramount.
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