Former Newcastle midfielder John Barnes fears that Financial Fair Play is impacting the Magpies’ ability to keep “their best players”.

While Newcastle are effectively the richest team in world football with the backing of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Barnes told Lucky Block that restrictions on spending could lead the club to lose stars such as Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon:

“I think Newcastle is a really interesting situation. We know the financial implications surrounding Newcastle, which obviously work against Eddie Howe. They have the richest owners in football, but those resources remain untapped due to FFP rules. That status as the richest club in the world in terms of its owners can cloud things and raise unrealistic expectations. Zinedine Zidane isn’t going to turn up and start managing Newcastle and they won’t be able to sign the world’s best players.”

“At the moment, there are doubts about the long-term futures of their best players. Isak is on Arsenal’s radar and refusing to sign a new contract, Gordon would have loved to have joined Liverpool in the summer. There’s a massive contradiction between Newcastle being the biggest, richest club in the world, a club that should have the best manager and the best players in the world because of their resources, but in reality, the rumours aren’t going away regarding the future of their best players. Can Newcastle fulfil the ambitions of their best players and keep them? I’m not sure if they can.”

Newcastle have secured the future of one key player

The Magpies announced last week that Anthony Gordon has signed a new contract keeping him at St James’ Park until the summer of 2030. He will become the joint-second highest earner at the club alongside Joelinton on £150,000 a week.

As Barnes mentioned, Liverpool were keen to secure the winger’s services back in June, when there was a possibility that he could be sold due to issues relating to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules. However, Gordon has now committed his long-term future to the club.

Questions about Isak linger

Things are not as straightforward with Alexander Isak. Manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that negotiations with the Swedish international over a new deal have stalled, citing FFP as one of the main factors stopping the club from meeting the player’s contract demands.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been mentioned as potential suitors in recent months and, although Newcastle are under no immediate pressure to sell, you can’t rule out rival clubs from making bids for their star striker.

Find out who is in Newcastle United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here