Woltemade Exit Caps Transformative Summer at Newcastle United

 Inside Newcastle’s Summer Overhaul: Fernandez-Pardo Arrives as Woltemade Departs

It was rather telling that Matias Fernandez-Pardo was Newcastle United's final signing of a rollercoaster summer.

This was a pursuit which was anything but straightforward.

The Belgian had been Newcastle's top target before the window opened, but it was only in the final stages of the summer that the club were able to complete a complex deal following delicate negotiations with Lille.

It was ultimately a tale of two very different forwards on deadline day.

On the same afternoon Newcastle announced the rapid Fernandez-Pardo's arrival, towering club-record signing Nick Woltemade finalised his loan move to Juventus.

Woltemade only joined Newcastle last summer, but this has been a window of change on Tyneside.

Head coach Eddie Howe stepped down in July and was replaced by Matthias Jaissle just a few weeks before the start of the new campaign.

Captain Bruno Guimaraes was among a handful of key players to leave while eight new signings arrived as Newcastle's records for spending and sales in a single window were both smashed.

This was the summer which altered the face of the club.

Leadership Departures and Key Squad Changes

A shake-up had been signposted as far back as the spring.

It was in early April when Newcastle announced that defender Kieran Trippier would be leaving at the end of his contract.

The 34-year-old was approaching the twilight of his career, but his departure was still keenly felt as an influential figure behind the scenes.

"It was emotional for me, of course, because I loved the club so much and Newcastle gave me so much in return," the former England international said several months after moving on to Wolves.

"I'll always follow the club and want them to do well but, as a footballer, sometimes, you have to move on. With the utmost respect, I think it was the right time for both the club and myself.

"As I've always said, I wanted to leave in the right manner and show respect to my team-mates, the club and, most importantly, the supporters, who I have a great relationship with."

Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali's subsequent exits to Barcelona and Tottenham respectively did not necessarily come as a surprise, either, given they enabled Newcastle to comply and reinvest within the game's financial rules.

No-one internally had countenanced losing talisman Guimaraes, though.

However, having bailed Newcastle out so many times before, even the tireless midfielder dropped to the turf, untied his boots before the physio reached him and glared at the bench to come off during last season's final-day defeat at Fulham.

If ever an image summed up a bruising domestic campaign as Newcastle finished in 12th place - far below where the hierarchy had projected - and missed out on millions worth of European revenue.

The prospect of Guimaraes signing a new deal was unsurprisingly shot down by a figure involved in his subsequent £75m move to Arsenal a few weeks later.

After losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool against their wishes last summer, Newcastle ended up selling a fourth key player in less than a year.

They also missed out on top targets Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi, who opted to move to Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively.

Yet those inside the club repeatedly stressed that the window could only be judged once it shut.

"Just because one element doesn't go the way you want doesn't mean you abandon the plan," a senior source said.

"We stayed on target, stayed focused, stayed calm and moved on. We didn't do a whole lot of mourning or crying when we had a setback.

"We pivoted to what's next."

Late Deals Reshape Jaissle's New-Look Squad

The final fortnight of the summer ultimately proved critical as defender Amar Dedic, midfielder Nico Gonzalez and forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo all joined the club.

Season ticket holder Adam Widdrington believes the trio's arrivals and Newcastle's performances in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool and the 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur changed the narrative.

"Plenty of pundits and other fans had Newcastle earmarked for relegation," he said.

"They said, 'Who's the manager? Never heard of him. Who are these young players? You have lost a load of players'.

"I still wouldn't class it as a great transfer window, but I think it's a good one, especially given the context of where it looked like Newcastle were heading in that Bruno dip.

"At that point, it didn't feel like there was so much to inspire the fans, but the last three signings shifted opinion a lot."

Fernandez-Pardo certainly feels more of a stylistic fit for a side who made the most sprints in the opening weekend (138) of the Premier League season.

Jaissle has already cited the forward's "explosiveness" which, for all his endeavour, was not part of Woltemade's game, even during an impressive start to his Newcastle career a year ago.

Fernandez-Pardo will have to quickly adapt and there will inevitably be ups and downs as the campaign progresses for the 21-year-old and a young side.

But they won't lack belief.

"We always have hope and belief," Jaissle said before a ball had even been kicked this season. "No one can take that away from us."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2z4q00pg7o