Newcastle United will form part of the new Premier League ‘Big Seven’ – updating the current ‘Big Six’ of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City, according to new Blues owner Todd Boehly.
The Magpies are under fresh ownership after a Saudi-backed consortium completed a £300m takeover of the club in October 2021 and have already flexed their financial muscles, helping them to an 11th-place finish in the top-flight last season.
Newcastle were 19th and had only three points from their opening seven games when the takeover was completed – but went on to appoint Eddie Howe as manager a month later and then signed four players in January for over £90m – Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood and Dan Burn.
Boehly, who succeeded Roman Abramovich as Chelsea owner at the end of May, saw his new club finish third in the Premier League last term and he feels Newcastle will provide fresh competition for the 2022/23 campaign.
‘The big six will become the big seven with the Saudi deal for Newcastle,’ he said in quotes attributed to The Telegraph. ‘There is going to be opportunity for everyone to win.’
Newcastle have spent the last five consecutive seasons in the Premier League following promotion from the Championship in 2016-17 and have finished in the top-half once in that time, with a 10th-place finish in the following campaign.
Since the Premier League’s formation in 1992, their best finishes have come in 1995-96 and 1996-67 when they finished as runners-up – and they also achieved top-four finishes in 1993-94, 2001-02 and 2002-03.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are reportedly very close to signing teenage striker Hugo Ekitike – but may end their long-running pursuit of defender Sven Botman.
Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope is also keen on a move to Newcastle after the Magpies cooled their interest in Man Utd’s Dean Henderson.
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