Newcastle united will solve double transfer issue with 'incredible' £60m signing

Building a strong Premier League squad is almost like painting the Forth Road Bridge. The legend goes that no sooner has worked finished on the famous Edinburgh landmark then it has to start

again on the other side. It never ends. The parallels are clear as the transfer window opens for what should be a fascinating summer of signings, big-name deals and surprise moves, not only

in England but throughout Europe. At Newcastle United, the squad has developed so much in the three-and-a-half years since the Saudi-backed PIF completed their takeover and took the

handbrake off the ambitions which had been stifled for so long. And yet, we enter the summer transfer window with everyone associated with the club openly agreeing that there is much work to

be done to ensure United stay competitive next season. They're not wrong - Newcastle will be competing on four fronts next term and know from experience just how taxing that can be on

a squad. Eddie Howe, head of reccruitment Steve Nickson and the scouting network have put the hard yards in and are now ready to make their moves, but financial restrictions mean it's

not open season when it comes to signings, nor will it ever be. Instead, United will have to again act wisely, bringing the right players to the club with little margin for error. A central

defender, a right-sided forward and a goalkeeper appear to have been earmarked as priorities, with other areas waiting to see what happens in terms of exits and potential cut-price deals.

That includes a back-up option for Alexander Isak, with options increasinly thin on the ground for Howe, as Callum Wilson prepares to leave. However, United could look to kill two birds with

one stone by sealing a deal for one of their two biggest targets. Bryan Mbeumo has long been linked with Newcastle, and the club will reportedly look to get a deal worth around £60m over

the line this summer. The Cameroon winger would primarily challenge Jacob Murphy for a place on the right-hand side of the forward line, but would offer Howe so much more. He has smashed 20

goals in 38 Premier League appearances for Brentford in the season just ended, with a further eight assists. While he is more comfortable on the right flank, he plays across the front line,

often forming a front two with Yoane Wissa as part of a dangerous Bees attack. In Isak, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, United already have stars who can play in several attacking

positions, so rather than having a first and second-choice forward line, Howe could rotate his options as he sees fit, with Murphy and youngster Will Osula very much in the equation. United

would have loved to have added Liam Delap to their ranks as a more conventional centre-forward options, but with striker options either expensive or unproven, Mbeumo could provide the

solution they are looking for without an added £20-30m expenditure. Brentford boss Thomas Frank is under no doubt over Mbeumo's abilities, saying back in October: "He's added

another layer this year. I'm convinced one day he'll play for a bigger club. I'd definitely buy him if I were at a bigger club. That said, he's very happy here."

Newcastle know what they will be getting if they land the winger - but they could get even more in the bargain. _Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best NEWCASTLE

UNITED coverage and analysis._ _Make sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent

straight to your phone by clicking HERE to subscribe._ _You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click HERE to be sent all the day's biggest stories._ _And, finally, if

you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including SPOTIFY and

APPLE PODCASTS, and you can also watch along on YOUTUBE._