Newcastle United went through a campaign of mixed emotions in the Premier League as they had to crawl and scratch their way up the league table following a disastrous start last year. The Magpies had to endure a lot of misery in the first half of this season. However, they made some clever signings in January which propelled them out of the relegation zone and helped them secure a respectable 11th place finish in the Premier League standings.
Newcastle managed to recruit Joe Willock from Arsenal last summer before going on to make the winter acquisitions of Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Matt Targett, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes.
Let’s take a look at how each of them performed over the past ten months.
Joe Willock – 5/10
Since signing from Arsenal permanently back in August last year, Willock has failed to replicate his loan form at St. James’ Park from the previous campaign. The English talent experienced a tough season in Premier League football as he made 31 appearances for the Magpies, scoring just twice on all fronts.
Still, Willock deserves a pat on the back for being a regular feature for the Tyneside outfit in the league this season.
Kieran Trippier – 6/10
Tripper made an immediate impact at Tyneside after sealing a move from Atletico Madrid last winter. However, he ended up missing a lot of important games for Newcastle due to injury.
The 31-year-old featured in seven matches for the Magpies this season, netting two goals in the process.
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Chris Wood – 5/10
Wood decided to leave Burnley and join Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s team in January. Even though he struggled to score goals for the Magpies, there is no denying that his hold-up play helped the Tyneside club get out of relegation danger in the second half of this campaign.
Matt Targett – 7/10
Targett arrived on loan from Aston Villa and didn’t disappoint. He was a regular presence in Howe’s starting XI and played a crucial role for Newcastle over the past few months.
The 26-year-old appeared in 16 matches and did well to average 2.6 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 1.2 key passes per game in the Premier League (stats via whoscored).
Dan Burn – 7/10
After arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion at the start of this year, Burn has been a rock at the back for the Magpies. He has made a lot of last-ditch clearances and blocks to help them comfortably get over the finishing line with their top-flight status intact.
Bruno Guimaraes – 8/10
The 20-year-old has been a real revelation at St. James’ Park following his move from Olympique Lyon in January. Guimaraes has found the back of the net five times and secured one assist in 17 league matches for Newcastle this season. He will definitely be a player to watch out for at the Tyneside club in the coming years.
