Geordie Boot Boys - Newcastle United F.C. News

Newly appointed England head coach Thomas Tuchel will be in attendance for Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United.

Tuchel has officially started his duties as the full-time successor to Gareth Southgate, the former Chelsea boss will have a close eye on proceedings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium – he has several players that could be in contention.

The Magpies have been on a great run of form in recent weeks, winning their last five games in all competitions. Toon boss Eddie Howe will be eager to keep that run going on Saturday.

Tuchel was linked with Newcastle in 2022 when he was sacked by Chelsea but ultimately Howe has remained at the helm.

Howe himself was heavily linked to the England job throughout the summer before Tuchels appointment. Reports suggest that it would’ve cost England £5million to buyout Howe’s contract.

With the game on Saturday fast approaching, reports have now named five players who Tuchel will have a close eye on.

Thomas Tuchel watching three English Newcastle players

It’s no surprise that Newcastle’s recent form means the English players in the Magpies first-team squad have shone.

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According to the Daily Mail, Tuchel will be keeping an eye on Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall on Saturday.

The trio made their England debuts in 2024, Gordon was also included in Southgate’s squad for EURO 2024 but only played five minutes in the whole tournament.

The report also suggests that Tuchel will be there to watch Spurs stars Dominic Solanke and James Maddison.

Newcastle had interest in Solanke in the summer before making the switch to North London. Maddison was also on Newcastle’s radar following Leicester City’s relegation but also opted for a move elsewhere.

It’s a huge opportunity for the Toon trio to impress once again and keep their place in the England squad, Gordon scored his first England goal against Ireland in November.

Two other Newcastle stars Tuchel should consider

Newcastle’s domestic quality doesn’t stop at the trio Tuchel came to see. Both Jacob Murphy and Dan Burn are in line to play against Spurs on Saturday.

Murphy is enjoying a great run of form at the moment, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists in his last five Premier League games. If he maintains that high level until March Tuchel could easily name him in his first England squad.

Burn is also enjoying a great run of form – he’s kept four consecutive clean sheets in the league alongside Fabian Schar.

It’s a big incentive for those players to show why they should be in the mix for an England cap and for Howe to keep showing the FA what the opportunity they passed up on.

Chris Sutton is expecting a ‘great game’ between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United on Saturday.

Newcastle United begin 2025 with a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they will hope to take their 2024 form into the New Year.

The Magpies ended the previous calendar year with five wins on the spin, including Newcastle’s victory over Manchester United. Eddie Howe’s side were outstanding at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim admitting that Newcastle are better than Man United.

Ahead of the game in North London, Paul Merson has backed Newcastle to beat Spurs.

Chris Sutton predicts Tottenham vs Newcastle

Now Chris Sutton has given his verdict too, with the former Blackburn Rovers striker telling BBC Sport that Newcastle United will beat Tottenham in this weekend’s early kickoff.

“Newcastle’s form is incredible, with five wins on the spin in all competitions,” he said.

“They have scored 16 goals in those games, with only one conceded.

“Tottenham, in contrast, are on a poor run of results – although they did not perform badly in their defeat by Nottingham Forest or in their draw with Wolves last time out.

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“This is going to be a great game and, while I think Spurs will score, I just can’t go against Newcastle at the moment.

“Eddie Howe’s side have got goals in them and it is not just Alexander Isak who is a threat – Jacob Murphy is playing really well and their midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton looks very strong.”

Sutton’s prediction: Tottenham 1 Newcastle 2

Suspension concern for Newcastle against Spurs

Given Newcastle’s recent run of results and Tottenham’s issues, it is no surprise to see Eddie Howe’s side tipped to be victorious on Saturday.

The Magpies are in outstanding form, putting in multiple top level performances in a row to surge up the Premier League table.

However, there has been a casualty along the way. Fabian Schar is suspended for Newcastle’s game against Tottenham, with the 33-year-old receiving his fifth booking of the campaign during the win at Old Trafford.

That will force Howe to change his back four, with Lloyd Kelly predicted to start for Newcastle.

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that the 26-year-old will come into the side, with Dan Burn moving over to right-sided centre-back.

That is despite Sven Botman’s availability, with the Dutchman yet to make a senior appearance since recovering from an ACL injury.

Eddie Howe has a big decision to make for Newcastle United’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Newcastle United kick 2025 off with a trip to North London, as they face Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur side away from home.

The Magpies will be full of confidence on the back of five wins in a row, with Newcastle beating Manchester United 2-0 in their final game of 2024.

Eddie Howe’s side have found their stride, but face a major selection issue as they travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

They will be forced to make at least one change, and this is Geordie Boot Boys’ predicted Newcastle starting XI to face Tottenham on Saturday.

Fabian Schar suspended against Tottenham

There will definitely be one change to the Newcastle starting XI, with Fabian Schar suspended for the game against Tottenham.

That presents Howe with a problem, as he does not have a direct replacement for the 33-year-old.

Emil Krafth is working his way back to fitness after a shoulder injury, but it feels likely that this game will come too soon for the Swede. The same goes for Sven Botman, who is yet to make a senior appearance since recovering from an ACL injury.

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While Botman has played for the youth side, it would be a huge shock if Howe thrust the Dutchman back into the starting XI for a Premier League game.

With that in mind, Lloyd Kelly seems the most likely candidate to replace Schar and start alongside Dan Burn at centre-back. The 26-year-old has not played for the Magpies since a poor display in Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham United.

Another change in defence for Newcastle

We are predicting that Newcastle will make another change in defence on Saturday, with Tino Livramento replacing Kieran Trippier at right-back.

The £12million defender was substituted early in the second half during the win at Old Trafford, and could make way for Livramento.

The 22-year-old is probably better suited to face the pacey Son Heung-min, while Howe will want to protect Trippier after two consecutive Premier League starts in a short space of time.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle midfield decision

Given how well the midfield is functioning right now, Howe will be reluctant to change things against Tottenham. That means Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton starting again.

However, it will be interesting to see what Howe does with Bruno, who will be suspended for Newcastle’s next game – the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal.

The Newcastle United manager must decide whether to play Bruno for the full 90 minutes, in the knowledge that he will get a rest afterwards.

Alternatively, he could take Bruno off in the second half and deploy the midfield trio he is going to select for the cup clash with Arsenal. That would mean an appearance for Joe Willock or Sean Longstaff, who are on standby to replace the Toon skipper.

There should be no changes to the forward line, with Alexander Isak hoping to take his 2024 form into 2025.

Newcastle United have a big chance to start 2025 in style against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The Magpies rounded out 2024 with five wins on the bounce, with Newcastle beating Manchester United 2-0 to end the year.

This upturn in form has seen Eddie Howe’s side climb up to fifth in the Premier League, while they also have a Carabao Cup semi-final on the horizon.

The same goes for Tottenham Hotspur, but the situation is very different in North London. Ange Postecoglou is desperately short of defensive options, while his unwillingness to change his approach has culminated in some disappointing results.

The Magpies will hope to hand them another disappointing result on Saturday, where Newcastle will be without Fabian Schar due to suspension.

Paul Merson predicts Tottenham vs Newcastle United

Despite that, pundit Paul Merson has told Sportskeeda that he thinks Newcastle United will beat Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend.

“With the way both teams are playing, I have to go with a Newcastle win here,” he said.

“I know Manchester United aren’t great, but I thought Newcastle were brilliant in that 2-0 win. They are flying at the moment and I don’t expect this game to be any different.

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“When you look at Tottenham, they are still in the running to win a trophy. I know that some sort of silverware will be a huge relief for their fans. However, they look a million miles away from finishing in the top four and that’s a problem. They are 11 points behind Chelsea and all the six teams, including Newcastle, between them and the Blues have all looked better!

“The Spurs fans will not have complaints with the football they’re watching under Ange Postecoglou though. They wouldn’t want to go back to the old days under Antonio Conte or Jose Mourinho because this is at least positive football. And when you play this kind of expansive football, it really is difficult to keep it tight at the back. If I had to pick one team to watch purely for the sake of entertainment in the Premier League, that would be Spurs – no doubt.

“Newcastle have hit good form at the right moment. If they end up strengthening the squad in January, they can push Chelsea and Nottingham Forest to the end for third spot. But whether they dip into the market or not depends on Financial Fair Play (FFP) of course.

“It will be interesting to see if they receive an offer for Alexander Isak too. If I was Arsenal, I wouldn’t think twice and put in a massive bid to sign him in January. Isak is a real handful and is in terrific form. Even if Arsenal don’t win the league this season, they will definitely win it next season, if they have him in their line-up!”

Merson’s prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1 Newcastle United 3

The last time Newcastle United did the double over Tottenham

As is always the case with pundits like Merson, there has been a needless comment about Alexander Isak leaving Newcastle United to join Arsenal. What has that got to do with this game against Spurs?

It is no wonder Newcastle are annoyed by all the Isak chat – it is annoying for us fans!

But Isak will hope to continue his good form on Saturday, with the 25-year-old boasting 12 goals in 13 games this season.

His first of the campaign came back in September when Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-1 at St James’ Park. That means that the Magpies can do the double over Spurs this season.

If they do, it will be a repeat of what they achieved during the 2022/23 campaign when Newcastle qualified for the Champions League.

The last time that Newcastle did the double over Spurs before that was 2015/16 season, which ended in relegation for the Magpies.

Tottenham Hotspur are enduring an injury crisis similar to Newcastle United’s last season.

During Newcastle’s 2023/24 campaign, they had a slew of injuries and Sandro Tonali’s suspension to deal with which hindered their form.

It’s a thing of the past for Eddie Howe though who has his squad thriving at the moment. Newcastle’s win against Aston Villa on Thursday was a sign that any poor form earlier in the season has been forgotten as the Magpies made it three Premier League wins in a row.

After Monday’s game against Manchester United, who have Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte suspended – Newcastle take on Tottenham, who haven’t exactly been in dazzling form themselves.

It feels like the perfect time for Newcastle to play them as they’ve now lost two games on the spin to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – teams the Geordies have had positive results against this season.

Now, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu has confirmed more injury woes ahead of Newcastle’s visit to the capital.

Ange Postecoglou confirms Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin setbacks

The Spurs boss spoke ahead of their game against Wolves on Sunday which was aired on Tottenham’s website where he provided an injury update.

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The Australian confirmed that left-back Ben Davies and defender Radu Dragusin have both picked up knocks.

“(Davies) is ruled out,” he said.

“Unfortunately, he had a setback in training, so he’s probably out for another couple of weeks.”

On Dragusin, he said: ‘It’s a bit early to tell; he tweaked his ankle (against Forest) and felt like he couldn’t continue, so we’ll have to wait and see. We’ll wait until he gets in (for training) and assess him from there.”

As well as Davies and with Dragusin looking doubtful, Spurs will definitely be without Micky van de Ven, Christian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario meaning they’re without most of their usual back four. Former Newcastle goalkeeper Fraser Forster is currently playing in net for Spurs during Vicario’s absence.

Although suspended for the game against Wolves, Djed Spence will be available for the game against Newcastle.

Newcastle United also have injuries

Despite their good form, Newcastle are still without some key players going into the games against Man United and Spurs.

Sven Botman is still yet to return to Newcastle’s first-team. That is even with Botman playing 60 minutes for Newcastle’s under-21s earlier in December.

Jamaal Lascelles is due back in early February, like Botman he suffered an ACL injury in March which has kept him out ever since.

Emil Krafth is currently out with a broken collarbone but is back running doing non-contact training and Tino Livramento missed the win against Aston Villa due to illness but Howe has confirmed that he should return for the trip to Old Trafford.

Newcastle United will be desperate to strengthen in the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen as to how much business they can do.

Eddie Howe has some PSR issues to worry about in January, which could make things difficult at Newcastle, with little money to spend.

Harvey Barnes is one of the players being linked with an exit, but it remains to be seen as to whether the club would actually sanction a sale.

Newcastle United currently find themselves in 12th position with improvements desperately needed, as European hopes slowly drift away.

Interestingly, it appears as if there’s a new name being linked with a potential move to Newcastle in 2025, as Ben Jacobs has shared what he’s been told recently.

A Richarlison move from Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United is a possibility in 2025

Richarlison has been rather unfortunate at Tottenham in recent times, suffering an injury that is set to see him ruled out for the long-term.

However, that’s not stopped the attacker from looking to the future, as he has his eyes on playing at the 2026 World Cup with Brazil.

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Ben Jacobs has provided an update on Richarlison’s situation, and even revealed that Newcastle could be a potential destination for the Brazilian.

Speaking to Steve Wraith on the NUFC Matters YouTube channel, he said this.

“So Richarlison is an interesting one. A bit of fresh information here. The situation with Richarlison is the player was absolutely adamant last summer that he wanted to fight for his place at Spurs, and we were all very pleased to see him happy and sharing very candidly about the personal and mental health struggles that he’s had. And I think most of us just wanted it to work at Spurs and for Richarlison to be the 60 million plus player and to really thrive in the Premier League.

“Because at his best, he’s a pleasure to watch, and he can be unstoppable, but now I’m told the player’s changed his mind in the last few months and is willing to leave Spurs in 2025. But because of his aspirations to play in the 2026 World Cup, he doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia. If he gives a clear indication to Saudi that he wants to go, there are three or four of the PIF clubs that are desperate for him, but at the moment, it’s a no to Saudi or outside of Europe because he still wants to put himself in the frame by staying in Europe for the 2026 World Cup.

“And that may open up the door for a club like Newcastle United, so there is some substance to Richarlison and Newcastle, but price is the big issue because Spurs have been adamant throughout all of 2024 that if they’re to entertain an offer, it’s 60 million or more. Newcastle would not be looking anywhere near that number, given the player’s injury record and his form. Therefore, if this is to develop and Richarlison is open to going to another Premier League club, it would have to be from Newcastle’s point of view around the £40-45 million mark.”

Too much of a risk for Newcastle United

Even at £40 million, it’s too much of a risk to sign a Richarlison that has struggled to stay fit ever since leaving Everton a few years back.

The Brazilian has the ability to light up the Premier League when he’s at the top of his game, but we haven’t seen enough consistency from him.

If it did happen it would be a move in the summer when things are much more affordable and the PSR window passes, but it just seems unlikely.

However, you can never say never in the transfer world, so we shall wait and see.

It took Amanda Staveley years to get a Newcastle United deal over the line.

She first emerged as a contender to buy Newcastle United from Mike Ashley in 2017. It was not until 2021 when a deal was finally completed, and by then she had the backing of PIF.

Amanda Staveley then shockingly left Newcastle United over the summer, with her shares sold off to PIF and the Reuben family.

It was a surprise to see Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi depart St James’ Park. They were key figures on Tyneside – everything that has happened in recent years would not have been possible without them.

Their exits were followed by questions of ‘what next’, as well as rumours over investment at one of Newcastle United’s Premier League rivals.

Amanda Staveley is interested in Tottenham following Newcastle departure

In recent months, there have been whispers about Staveley and Ghodoussi investing in Tottenham Hotspur.

Ghodoussi was recently spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while it has been reported that Staveley could bring Eddie Howe to Spurs if she is able to buy a stake in the club.

The Staveley to Tottenham situation is rather strange, but it could become a reality.

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According to the Athletic, Staveley’s interest in investing in Tottenham Hotspur is genuine, with the interest becoming more intense in recent months.

They add that Staveley is looking to purchase a minority stake in Tottenham and would be ‘hands-on’.

The Athletic also report that Staveley has financial backers from USA and the Middle East, unlike the Newcastle United deal that saw the Magpies become a state-owned club thank to the riches of PIF.

Tottenham were against the Newcastle takeover

Staveley was and still is adored on Tyneside. She built up a real emotional connection with the Newcastle United fans, giving supporters hope during a really difficult period. Her desire to get the takeover done is why Newcastle are looking up, even if she has since departerd.

And getting the takeover done was not easy. Rumours of the PIF approach emerged in January 2020, and it was not until October 2021 that the £305million deal was signed off.

There were many obstacles, such as piracy and whether Mohammed bin Salman would be involved.

There was also pushback from Newcastle’s Premier League rivals, with the Times reporting in July 2020 that Tottenham and Liverpool were opposed to the deal going through.

The deal eventually did go through, and now Staveley is trying to buy shares in one of the clubs that wanted to derail the PIF takeover.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the significance of October 7th for Newcastle United.

While Mehrdad Ghodoussi and his wife Amanda Staveley are no longer involved at St James’ Park, they are never going to be forgotten.

It was a real shock to see Staveley and Ghodoussi leave Newcastle United this summer, and it is a real shame they are no longer involved.

Toon fans are incredibly grateful for what the couple did, both before and after the takeover. They fought to get PIF‘s deal over the line, and it is their efforts that have got Newcastle to where they are today.

The past three years have been incredible for Newcastle United fans, and it should only get better in the coming years.

Monday was the three-year anniversary of the Newcastle United takeover

October 7th will always be an important date on Tyneside, as it was the day that everything changed in 2021.

Staveley’s attempt to buy Newcastle with the financial backing of PIF first emerged in the media in January 2020, yet it took more than 18 months for the deal to be finalised. On many occasions, it looked like the deal would never go through.

But it finally did on October 7th 2021.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the Newcastle United anniversary

Monday was the three year anniversary of the takeover. Newcastle United are very happy with their progress, while the club looks extremely different to what it did when Mike Ashley left. In fact, it looks very different now to what it looked like at the start of the summer.

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The biggest change has been the departure of Staveley and Ghodoussi, who sold their shares in July.

But Ghodoussi still remembered the significance of Monday’s date, and took to his official X account to send a message to the Toon Army.

He wrote: “Happy anniversary.”

Newcastle fans wait to see what Ghodoussi and Staveley’s next move is

It really was a shock to see them leave Newcastle United during the summer. They have been pivotal figures in Newcastle’s recent history, and for them to no longer be involved with the club feels strange.

Staveley and Ghodoussi were heartbroken about leaving Newcastle, and it will be interesting to see what they do next.

There has been speculation in the media about them bringing new investment to Tottenham Hotspur, and the couple were spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Ghodoussi posted pictures on Instagram of them watching the Minnesota Vikings vs the New York Jets during the NFL’s annual visit to the United Kingdom.

It will be interesting to see if the Spurs investment speculation goes anywhere. Even if it does, the date will not be anywhere near as memorable as October 7th 2021.

Eddie Howe met with Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan after the Magpies’ win against Tottenham Hotspur.

The PIF chief was at St James’ Park for the win over Spurs, which was Newcastle United‘s first game following what was a disastrous transfer window.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan was sat in the middle of Paul Mitchell and Darren Eales, and it looked rather uncomfortable in the St James’ Park stands.

But the mood was lifted by Alexander Isak’s winner, as a below bar Newcastle United picked up a vital three points against a fellow European contender in Spurs.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan arrived at a difficult time for Newcastle United

Al-Rumayyan’s visit had nothing to do with the summer transfer window, despite his arrival coming at a time when there was a lot tension given the club’s failure to make any major signings.

There had also been questions over PIF’s commitment to Newcastle United, with the Magpies’ progress somewhat stalling after an incredibly fast start following the takeover.

But the PIF boss continues to want the best for Newcastle United, and Eddie Howe has noticed that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to help as much as possible.

Eddie Howe shares how his meeting with PIF chief went

Ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Wolves, Howe spoke to the media and was asked about how his meeting with the chairman went following the Tottenham game.

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“The chairman is always very engaging,” he said.

“He’s a really positive guy, so I think he always wants to try and help and affect us in a good way. He’s very keen to communicate and help.

“Nothing but positives, helped by the result. Everyone was in a good mood. Good start to the season so it was very positive.”

PIF will know they need to keep supporting Howe

Howe’s meeting with Al-Rumayyan was positive, and so it should have been. The Newcastle United manager has not done anything wrong, and the club’s transfer window failure was down to Mitchell and Eales rather than himself.

Howe can only work with the tools he has given, and he has so far done that to the best of his ability. Al-Rumayyan will recognise that and understand that Newcastle’s success so far has been largely down to Howe’s ability as a manager.

As always, the ambition for PIF is to get to the top. Given the financial rules in place, that is incredibly difficult. Therefore, the owners are willing to help in any way they can to make Howe’s job easier, and it is positive to hear that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to know how he can improve the situation.

As long as he continues to make Howe feel loved and give him an environment that he can succeed in then Newcastle United will progress as a club.

Kieran Trippier did not start for Newcastle United on Sunday for the third Premier League game in a row.

The 33-year-old was an unused substitute at St James’ Park, as a below par Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.

It was not a brilliant performance, but the Magpies were able to snatch victory. Eddie Howe set his team up to play on the counter, and it worked perfectly.

On the balance of play, Spurs were the better team. They created a lot of chances, with Ange Postecoglou admitting that Tottenham’s performance did not match the result.

What Kieran Trippier was doing for Newcastle despite not playing against former club Tottenham

Newcastle had to really dig in and fight for victory, with Eddie Howe’s tactical approach helping his side get over the line.

But they also had some added help from Kieran Trippier, who did his best to play a part in Newcastle’s win despite not being on the pitch.

As substitutes do, Trippier trotted down the touchline towards the Leazes End to warm up in the second half. He would have been hoping to come on, despite Tino Livramento playing so well at right-back.

But while Trippier was out there warming up, he was also barking out orders. There was an instance in the second half when he was clearly trying to convey a message to his teammates, as Spurs prepared to take a free-kick in a dangerous area.

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The defender was desperately telling one of his teammates to lie down behind the wall to create a long barrier, just in case Tottenham tried to put their free-kick underneath the wall.

Trippier was trying so hard to get his message across that he was even stood on the pitch, attempting to get as close as possible despite being a long way away. Tottenham boss Ange Postececoglou caught wind of this, and pleaded with the England international to at least stand on the right side of the white line.

In the end, the free-kick missed the target, and Trippier could relax.

But it is moments like this that prove why he still has such an important role to play, despite no longer being a guaranteed starter and seeing Bruno Guimaraes leapfrog him to become Newcastle captain.

Even without the armband, Trippier is a leader. He is a pivotal voice, and will be vitally important for Eddie Howe moving forwards.

Kieran Trippier has been linked with a move to Turkey

During the summer, it looked likely that Trippier was going to depart St James’ Park. Trippier even asked to leave Newcastle, despite Eddie Howe wanting to keep him.

But the manager got his wish, and Trippier is still a Newcastle United player.

However, even though the Premier League’s transfer window has closed, there is still a chance for Trippier to go.

Going into the game against Tottenham, he was linked with a move to Turkey, where the transfer window is still open until September 18th.

However, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has stated on X that there is nothing in the rumours that Trippier could leave Newcastle United to join Eyupspor.

The only other possibility for Trippier to leave is Saudi Arabia, but their transfer window closes today (September 2nd).