Newcastle keen on Bryan Mbeumo in January but Eddie Howe faces spending restrictions

Exclusive: Howe well aware of Newcastle’s weaknesses at centre-back and right wing but financial situation bleak

Newcastle United are discussing the possibility of signing Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo in January but manager Eddie Howe is facing tough spending restrictions.
Although Newcastle are keen to strengthen their squad, if a big money signing is made in the winter window the club would have to sell someone in the summer.
The club parted with wingers Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton respectively to avoid breaching profit and sustainability rules in the summer.
The problem remains an ongoing concern for a club that continues to languish behind the Big Six in revenue streams despite the takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Newcastle have spent more than £400million on players since the takeover in October 2021, but have struggled to recoup money through player sales.
Telegraph Sport has been told that PIF will continue to invest in the club despite the announcement, in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, that the sovereign wealth fund intends to cut international spending from 30 per cent to between 18-20 per cent.
But as part of their existing portfolio, PIF will not change their stance towards Newcastle, reassuring supporters they are still willing to invest in a new stadium and the general growth of the club.
That does not help with PSR, though. The club’s recruitment team have started to step up plans to add to the squad in January but senior sources have told Telegraph Sport funds will be limited.
That will be met with dismay from supporters who feel the first team squad has stagnated after failing to sign a single player to improve the starting XI in the last two transfer windows.
Howe, who can see the glaring holes in his squad at centre back and right wing, will push for a player to be added in the winter window. But he is also well aware of the bleak financial situation.
It had been assumed that Newcastle would be able to spend big in the winter window having failed with a £60 million bid to sign Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guehi in the summer.
But having failed to move on any of their senior players and highest earners, like Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson (who has started two games in 2024) in the summer – as well as agreeing a lucrative long term contract with Anthony Gordon – things are tighter than previously thought.
A renewed bid for Guehi has been discussed internally, but there is little confidence in that being revived and Newcastle are looking at right-sided forwards too.
The England international has been advised to leave his options open until the summer, when he will only have one-year left on his contract and Newcastle are wary of getting dragged into another transfer saga.
Newcastle felt they were led on by Palace in the summer after they kept raising the asking price during negotiations and the London club would have to initiate contact if they are willing to sell their captain in January.
If Newcastle do buy someone – and Mbeumo has been discussed – it is believed they will have to make sure they sell someone in the summer.
Gordon remains of interest to a number of clubs at home and abroad, while Bruno Guimarares and Alexander Isak could also attract bids from rivals.
In the meantime, Newcastle are set to activate a one year extension to Sean Longstaff’s contract.
Longstaff has entered the final year of his existing deal, but Telegraph Sport can reveal the club have the option to add another year and will do so as they still see the academy graduate as an important part of the squad.
Newcastle have been discussing a new long term deal with the 26-year-old for some time and those talks remain ongoing. But the extra year option has taken some of the pressure off as it means Longstaff will be under contract until 2026 and will not be able to leave on a free transfer next summer.
Newcastle are not currently negotiating a new deal with striker  Isak but will revisit that situation at the end of the season, when the Sweden international will still have three years left.
Isak, who has been desperately short of form so far this season, has been told it is up to him to prove he deserves to become the club’s highest earner and both sides are said to be relaxed about the situation.