Newcastle United's 'big' transfer hope and truth told after £5.8m Bryan Mbeumo masterstroke

Eddie Howe hopes Newcastle United can still make 'big signings' in 2025 - but the Magpies are going to have to be 'smart' in a PSR world.

Newcastle attempted to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi last summer but the black-and-whites stopped bidding for the England international weeks before the window shut after the Eagles' demands went above what the club were prepared to pay. Newcastle ultimately ended a summer trading period in profit for the first time since the takeover and sporting director Paul Mitchell warned the way the Magpies operated previously 'can't work now' after the club narrowly avoided a PSR breach back in June.

Trading will be essential - Newcastle's rivals bring in far greater revenues - and Howe has also previously spoken about the need to unearth 'untapped gems' who the Magpies can develop into 'top players'. Newcastle signed William Osula from Sheffield United last summer and the black-and-whites have also agreed a deal for Vakhtang Salia, who is another promising young striker. It is a far cry from bringing in big hitters like Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali for £63m and £55m respectively so do Newcastle have to change the way they recruit?

READ MORE: Newcastle United FA Cup TV decision made with surprise over Bromley tie

READ MORE: Newcastle United chief Eddie Howe shares true motive for Simon Jordan interview

"That's a difficult one to answer," Howe admitted. "Every transfer will be different. I'm not saying no to that. There may well have to be an adjustment, but it has to be taken on an individual basis.

"Signings like Will Osula, which was very much with a view to potential in the future, as a player we really like, will be a different kind of signing to Alex, who was brought in for the here and now to hit the ground running straight away. It very much depends on what your need is, but I do get the question that if PSR will continue to be an issue for us for the next few years ahead, we're going to have to be smart and that's the key thing.

"We're going to have to be clever with what we do. It doesn't mean we can't, hopefully, make big signings and players for the here and now who are ready to play, but maybe not all under that category at the same time."

Newcastle continue to monitor domestic targets, but Mitchell also wants to 'stretch our radius' to find undervalued talent across the globe with a younger age profile. While intuitive scouting remains crucial, as does the character of prospective signings for that matter, the sporting director previously revealed that the 'next phase of the growth of this project' was to adopt an approach that is even more data-informed after noting how those clubs who did so 'actually prospered' last summer.

Brentford, who Newcastle face on Saturday, have certainly used data to good effect. Bryan Mbeumo, for instance, who is on Newcastle's radar, was recruited for just £5.8m while playing in Ligue 2 for Troyes.

David Raya, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are just some of the other players Brentford have smartly recruited over the years and the Bees' use of intelligence has been at the heart of the club's rise. However, this bespoke model has been built up over many years - aided by owner Mathew Benham's background in sports betting - and these clubs have contrasting goals even if Brentford currently sit above Newcastle on goal difference in the early stages of the campaign.

"There is a different dynamic and different expectations," Howe added. "I don't think you can compare two clubs' recruitment, really, because everyone has different objectives. They have recruited really smartly. They, obviously, use a data model and use it very well. We don't have those infrastructures in place, but the expectations of both clubs are very different."