Newcastle United suffer transfer blow as Chelsea make official announcement. Paul Mitchell has suffered a late transfer blow in 2024, as he aims to change Newcastle United’s fortunes in 2025. It has been a tough year for Newcastle United when it comes to recruitment

Newcastle United’s transfer plans have been affected by Chelsea’s recent announcement that Josh Acheampong has signed a new contract. Newcastle has struggled with recruitment in 2024, failing to make signings that have immediately improved their starting lineup. While they have invested in young players like Will Osula and Vakhtang Salia for the future, they need to make smart signings to strengthen the current squad.

Paul Mitchell, Newcastle’s sporting director, had hoped to sign Josh Acheampong, whose Chelsea contract was due to expire in 2026. It appeared that Acheampong might leave Chelsea, especially as he was not being played while contract negotiations were ongoing. However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca spoke about Acheampong’s contract situation recently, and Chelsea has now officially confirmed that the 18-year-old right-back has signed a new contract extending his stay until 2029. Acheampong has also returned to the first-team picture, featuring in a UEFA Conference League match and being a substitute in a Premier League game.

This new contract means Newcastle will no longer be able to pursue Acheampong. This is a setback for Newcastle as they were looking to add depth at right-back, particularly given Kieran Trippier’s situation. Trippier had attempted to leave Newcastle in the summer, but the club blocked his departure. However, it is still likely that he will leave in 2025.

While Tino Livramento was signed as Trippier’s long-term replacement and is expected to be a starter, Newcastle still needs backup at right-back. Emil Krafth can fill this role, but he is also needed as cover at center-back for Fabian Schar. Young player Leo Shahar, although highly promising, is considered too inexperienced to be a regular option in the senior team just yet.

The signing of Acheampong would have provided a solution to this problem and potentially allowed Trippier to leave. Now that Acheampong has signed a new contract with Chelsea, Newcastle will have to look for other options to address their right-back situation. Paul Mitchell will have to find an alternative solution to provide cover for Livramento and potentially replace Trippier in the future.