Newcastle United must avoid 'reckless' contract decision with 10 players 'set to leave' in 2025

Newcastle are understood to have 10 senior players out of contract at St James’ Park next summer. While some have options to extend their stay by another year, all players are at risk of leaving the club on free transfers in 2025 unless they agree new deals.

From January, the players whose contracts are expiring will be able to agree pre-contract deals with clubs abroad to join on a free transfer.

With more than a third of Newcastle’s senior players out of contract at the end of the season, it is vital that the club are able to resolve the situation in plenty of time.

Newcastle’s new sporting director Mitchell confirmed that conversations will take place with head coach Howe to decide each player’s future.

Mitchell said on the contract situation: “I will sit down with Eddie. We will go through it individually - where they are today impacting performance, and where they’ll be in the next one-to-two years. We will make decisions around that.” 

Here are the 10 Newcastle players whose contracts expire at the end of the season...

Martin Dubravka

The Slovakian goalkeeper has been heavily linked with a move away from Newcastle as he looks to secure regular first team football. So the chances of Dubravka agreeing a new deal at St James’ Park are low unless he were to agree a loan exit in unison.

Dubravka will be 36 by the time his contract expires at St James’ Park and is likely to seek a move away should an opportunity present itself.

Kieran Trippier

Trippier has also been heavily linked with a move away with his contract expiring next year.

While both Howe and Mitchell want the player to stay at the club, the right-back turns 34 later this month and would be open to leaving Newcastle. The Magpies rejected a £12.8million bid from Bayern Munich for Trippier in January 2024 but won’t be able to command such a fee again.

Trippier has been linked with a move to Turkey this month which has been ruled out, but a January exit is possible.

Fabian Schar

Like Trippier, Schar has been a vital part of Howe’s squad since the takeover and remains an important part of the side. But with the club identifying a centre-back as a top target during the summer transfer window, the former Swiss international may have a smaller role to play should he decide to stay at St James’ Park beyond next summer.

He will be 33 years old by the end of the 2024-25 campaign though the club could be tempted to offer him a new short-term deal.

Jamaal Lascelles

Captain Jamaal Lascelles has played a bit-part role at Newcastle since the takeover and is currently out until the end of the year with an ACL injury. The centre-back turns 31 later this year and his playing role at the club is unlikely to increase significantly once he’s back fully fit as his deal runs down.

Callum Wilson

Callum Wilson is an intriguing one as he is a striker highly-rated by Howe and Newcastle supporters. But he’ll be 33 by the end of the season and his availability has always been an area of contention since his arrival from AFC Bournemouth.

Wilson is behind Alexander Isak in the pecking order at Newcastle but still boasts an impressive scoring record with only all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer scoring more for the club in the Premier League era. It will be a big decision whether to offer Wilson a new contract or not and another question whether he would accept it.

But the first priority is to get the forward back fit and playing before anything else.

Emil Krafth

The defender has been something of an unsung hero under Howe with his ability to slip into the side and keep things steady defensively in difficult situations. The 30-year-old has a role to play in the side but if he is ever starting games for Newcastle, it’s usually a sign things aren’t going particularly well in terms of player availability.

Krafth is Newcastle’s third-choice right-back and sixth-choice centre-back if all players are available. If he’s happy to keep playing that role then a new deal could be considered, but if he wants regular first-team football, Krafth will have to leave Newcastle.

The Swedish defender has been a good servant to the club, but in order to convey a message of progress and moving forward, allowing him to leave as a free agent may be the best course of action for all parties.

John Ruddy

The 37-year-old veteran joined Newcastle as a free agent over the summer on a one-year deal. Ruddy is, at best, Newcastle’s third-choice goalkeeper this season with a big part of his role coming on the training ground rather than on a matchday.

With Newcastle’s goalkeeper situation currently uncertain and Ruddy nearing retirement, it’s unclear whether the club would look to keep him beyond 2025.

Mark Gillespie

Gillespie is in a similar position to Ruddy but is currently fifth choice goalkeeper. He turns 33 next year but is a Geordie and has been happy with his role in the squad over the past few seasons.

Another deal is possible but again dependent on how the goalkeeping situation is addressed.

Sean Longstaff

Longstaff is the only player out of contract next summer who is below the age of 30 and still plays an active role in the first team. Although the midfielder’s performances have been criticised by supporters at times, he remains highly rated by Howe for his work-rate and ability to score goals from midfield.

A new contract is a must for the 26-year-old not only for what he brings on the pitch but for financial reasons. In a world of PSR scrutiny, allowing your most experienced and arguably most valuable academy product leave on a free transfer would be reckless by the club.

Jamal Lewis

Lewis is out of contract next summer and is currently out on loan with Sao Paulo until his deal at St James’ Park is up. Should that loan spell go to plan, Lewis’ Newcastle career is effectively over as he aims to secure a permanent contract in Brazil.

He won’t be offered a new deal at St James’ Park having joined the club from Norwich City for £15million in 2020.