Newcastle United kicked off the Matthias Jaissle era with a 2-1 victory over Valencia, offering a rare positive moment in an otherwise turbulent summer at St. James’ Park.
The Magpies followed that result with a 3-1 defeat to a disciplined Everton side at Murrayfield, exposing significant gaps in the squad as Newcastle search for a clear identity under their new manager.
Jaissle is known for high-intensity, high-octane tactics, the kind supporters of ambitious clubs like Newcastle crave, but instilling that vision across a squad in transition will take considerable time and effort.
The departures of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes to divisional rivals in north London have left a void in midfield that Newcastle have so far struggled to adequately address during this window.
Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba have arrived from Ajax and Monaco respectively, with the club paying a combined £58m for the promising pair, who are aged 18 and 20 years old.
While both players carry exciting potential, expecting them to immediately replace the quality and experience of Guimaraes and Tonali at the highest level would be a significant gamble for any club.
Newcastle have also seen midfield targets slip through their fingers, with both Joao Palhinha and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg rejecting proposals from the Tyneside club during the current window.
Interest in Hojbjerg was seen as particularly serious, with negotiations with the Marseille midfielder collapsing at the eleventh hour, reportedly over wage demands, leaving technical director Ross Wilson frustrated.
According to journalist Craig Hope, Newcastle are now showing interest in Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, with Hope stating: “At the top of the list is Carlos Baleba. It’s not an active transfer, but I’m led to believe that it is one we should keep an eye on as the window progresses it’s one the manager likes. It’s an ambitious target.”
Baleba, 21, had a difficult 2025/26 Premier League season, with his touches per 90 dropping from 54.0 to 33.7 and his ball recoveries per 90 falling from 5.8 to 3.4 compared to the previous campaign.
Much of that slump was attributed to the fallout from a prospective move to Manchester United that never materialised, disrupting his form and focus at Brighton throughout the season.
Brighton’s £75m to £80m valuation has put both Newcastle and Manchester United off, but Hope believes the Seagulls could be tempted to lower their demands given Baleba’s disappointing recent season.
Journalist Eduardo Hagn previously described Baleba as a “monster” of a midfielder, praise rooted in the Cameroonian’s ability to combine progressive ball-carrying with relentless defensive work in the middle of the park.
That combination of defensive resilience, springy energy, and technical quality means Baleba carries a far higher ceiling than veteran stop-gap options like Hojbjerg or Palhinha would offer Newcastle at this stage.
Baleba has suffered an ankle ligament injury that will keep him out for the start of the campaign, but given his long-term potential, Newcastle would be unwise to let that setback deter them from pursuing a deal.
If Brighton do reduce their asking price and Newcastle move decisively, Baleba could prove to be the transformative midfield signing the club genuinely needs heading into the new era under Jaissle.