Revealed: Newcastle eyeing wonderkid winger, the truth about Sandro Tonali’s future, club make major decision on unpopular ‘new crest’, where Toon will tour this summer and why Bruno Guimaraes could now miss TEN more matches

Newcastle are watching Union Saint-Gilloise winger Anan Khalaili, Confidential can reveal.

The 21-year-old has been talked about internally and is admired by some of the club’s top scouts, including recruitment chief Steve Nickson. He has an eye for unearthing talent from abroad and we have learnt that Khalaili, with speed and technical ability, is seen as a player of vast potential.

The Israel international has scored three times in the Champions League this season, including both of USG’s goals in their 3-2 defeat by Marseille in December. He followed up with the winner at home to Atalanta last month.

Khalaili plays on the right wing and already has 15 caps for his country, as well as 136 senior appearances. He played 34 times as USG won the Belgian title last season, scoring five goals.

Under sporting director Ross Wilson, the club will look to the continent to identify signings of value, and a lot of scouting work has been undertaken in the likes of Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands. With £55million having been spent on right winger Anthony Elanga last summer, the feeling is that, if there is to be an addition in that area, it will be a player of a younger and less expensive profile, such as Khalaili.

One complication with USG players is that the club is part owned by Brighton owner Tony Bloom, who has a 25 per cent stake. However, last summer did see USG midfielder Noah Sadiki join Sunderland for £15m. 

The 21-year-old has 15 caps for Israel and won the Belgian title with USG last season 

Why Tonali WON’T be returning to Serie A 

Sandro Tonali will NOT be returning to Italy, despite continued speculation.

Again this week there has been talk in his homeland of a summer move to Juventus for the midfielder. However, we understand Tonali does not see Serie A as the stage that will serve his career best in the coming years.

The 25-year-old appreciates the improvement made in nearly three years at Newcastle playing under Eddie Howe in the Premier League, and attributes some of that to the strength of the English top flight, which has six teams in the Champions League last 16, compared to just Atalanta from Serie A.

Tonali’s future on Tyneside is not certain, but Italy would appear an unlikely destination if he were to seek a move.

Sandro Tonali won’t be returning to AC Milan – where he made 130 appearances from 2020 to 2023 – or any other Serie A club this summer

Revealed: Leaked new crest is ditched – and current badge could stay

Newcastle are set to make an imminent decision on the future of their club crest – but plans for a radical change have been ditched.

Confidential can reveal that the leaked image from last year which was being used during internal presentations is no longer under consideration. The anime-style design was not well received by the majority of supporters.

Rather, CEO David Hopkinson and his executive team will decide either to do nothing with the current badge or clean up the design, addressing symmetry and aspect ratio.

This development comes in the week that Dan Ginger – director of brand, marketing and digital media – has left the club. He was the public face of the project when it was announced that the crest would be changing last year, addressing reporters and later fans during a workshop event.

The plan was for the new crest to feature on the team’s jersey from the start of the 2026-27 season, but that deadline has come and gone. The aim, if there is a change, is now for the 2027-28 campaign.

Creative director Kenny McIver, formerly of Nike, is leading the crest initiative. He is very well thought of within St James’ Park and has been given more responsibility to align the club’s brand across all departments. The club’s mantra on the change of badge has always been evolution and not revolution, but the leaked image and the nature of the consultation process with supporters faced a backlash last year.

Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) expressed concern at a fan survey being ‘framed in an incredibly leading manner throughout, and it is hard to see how any meaningful fan engagement or reliable conclusions can be drawn from it’.

There was no option to vote for the design being left alone, but we can reveal that possibility is now on the table and no final decision will be taken without further consultation with supporters.

A leaked image of a new crest and the nature of the consultation process with supporters faced a backlash last year

Miley return delayed

Lewis Miley’s planned return date has been pushed back, Confidential understands.

The last communication from the club on Friday was that the 19-year-old would be back within a ‘week or two’. He has been suffering from muscle damage in his thigh, an injury that was originally thought to be a dead leg picked up away at Paris Saint-Germain on January 28.

But a more likely return for Miley is around the time of the Champions League last 16 ties, which will be against Chelsea or Barcelona. The hope is that he will back working on the grass early next week, and that means the next three home games against Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City will probably come too soon.

There is hope that Jacob Ramsey will be OK for Everton this weekend after reporting tightness in his hamstring earlier in the week.

Lewis Miley has been suffering from muscle damage in his thigh, an injury that was originally thought to be a dead leg picked up away at Paris Saint-Germain on January 28

Toon in a Euro zone this summer 

Newcastle’s plan to tour the United States or Far East this summer is set to be shelved in favour of a European camp, Confidential can reveal.

There were talks at one stage for a glamour friendly in Florida against Wrexham, the high-flying Championship club owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

However, it is now likely that Howe and his players will stay closer to home, with options in Portugal, Austria and Germany under consideration. That break will be followed by a two-game mini tournament at St James’ Park across the weekend of Saturday, August 15.

With the World Cup taking place in North America, there is a feeling that the audience in the United States could be suffering from football fatigue, especially as pre-season tours would begin the week after the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19.

Also, it is likely that most top stars will be on holiday post-World Cup, thus reducing the commercial value of pre-season this time around.

A central European break is now the preferred option, and that will no doubt be welcomed by Howe and his squad, who have journeyed to the Far East during the last two summers. They will play friendlies while abroad.

Will German striker Nick Woltemade now be heading back to his homeland for pre-season this summer? 

Bruno blow as he’s set for mammoth lay-off 

Bruno Guimaraes met with Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti this week, and if the latest reports from his home country are accurate then the midfielder could miss another TEN Newcastle matches.

The 28-year-old was allowed to return to South America for treatment on his hamstring injury this month, with the optimistic forecast of a return in early to mid-April.

However, Brazilian media believe a return date to be nearer the end of that month, by which time Newcastle could have less than half a dozen fixtures remaining. If they were to progress in the FA Cup and Champions League, it could be as many as 13 games missed.

Guimaraes’ meeting with Ancelotti would likely have been to offer reassurance on both sides of his participation in the World Cup in North America, which kicks off on June 11.

Hopkinson closes in on four signings 

Newcastle are closing in on the appointment of FOUR senior leaders as David Hopkinson’s influence is felt inside St James’ Park.

Confidential understands the final candidates for the positions of chief people officer, chief revenue officer, chief strategy officer and chief marketing officer have now all been identified.

The talent under consideration is both local and global and their arrival will have a major impact on the future direction of the club.

Hopkinson, following his September arrival, identified areas for growth and improvement during his 100-day review of the club’s workings, and many of those changes and ideas will be seen in tangible form in the coming weeks and months. He wants to create a collegiate feel of one club pulling in one direction.

Perfect timing the secret to Qarabag cruise 

One secret to Newcastle’s success in the first leg of their Champions League play-off win over Qarabag can be disclosed – they stayed on UK time in Azerbaijan.

Newcastle’s preparation for Qarabag paid off big time as they thumped their hosts 6-1

Rather than adjust their watches and body clocks to the local time (four hours ahead of GMT), the squad worked to the time back home. That meant Eddie Howe and his players went to bed at 2am the night before the game, or 10pm on Tyneside.

The plan worked and they ran out easy 6-1 winners the following day for what was a 9.45pm kick-off local time. But Howe’s watch would have read 5.45pm.

Sticking with Qarabag, they did not train at St James’ Park ahead of the second leg – and instead used the home of ninth-tier Newcastle Blue Star. The Northern League club offered their KD Stadium base in Scotswood, in the west end of the city.

And the preparations paid dividends, with a 3-2 defeat a vast improvement on the home leg of six days previous.

Toon Teaser 

It’s Toon Teaser time…

He wasn’t always popular when he returned… but did you remember David Ginola in our last Toon Teaser?

Last time we asked you to name the NINE players to have scored for both Newcastle and Tottenham in the Premier League.

They were; Stephen Carr, Les Ferdinand, Ruel Fox, David Ginola, Jermaine Jenas, Louis Saha, Moussa Sissoko, Andros Townsend and Kieran Trippier.

This week, can you name the ELEVEN players to have scored for both Newcastle and Everton in the Premier League?