Newcastle United have splashed the cash under PIF in recent years, welcoming a number of European stars to St James’ Park. The spending spree has also worked, with the Magpies qualifying for the Champions League back in 2023 and again in 2025, while also winning the EFL Cup.
Football FanCast takes a look at the most expensive transfers of all time for Newcastle.
1
Nick Woltemade
£69m
Stuttgart
2025
2
Alexander Isak
£60m
Real Sociedad
2022
=3
Sandro Tonali
£55m
AC Milan
2023
=3
Anthony Elanga
£55m
Nottingham Forest
2025
=3
Yoane Wissa
£55m
Brentford
2025
6
Anthony Gordon
£45m
Everton
2023
7
Jacob Ramsey
£43m
Aston Villa
2025
=8
Joelinton
£40m
Hoffenheim
2019
=8
Bruno Guimaraes
£40m
Lyon
2022
10
Harvey Barnes
£38m
Leicester City
2023
=11
Sven Botman
£32m
Lille
2022
=11
Tino Livramento
£32m
Southampton
2023
13
Malick Thiaw
£30m
AC Milan
2025
14
Lewis Hall
£28m
Chelsea
2024
=15
Chris Wood
£25m
Burnley
2022
=15
Joe Willock
£25m
Arsenal
2022
17
Miguel Almiron
£21m
Atlanta United
2019
=18
Callum Wilson
£20m
Bournemouth
2020
=18
Odysseas Vlachodimos
£20m
Nottingham Forest
2024
20
Michael Owen
£17m
Real Madrid
2005
Detailed look at Newcastle's 10 most expensive signings… 10 Harvey Barnes £38m from Leicester City
Winger Harvey Barnes was a long-term target for the Magpies, who eventually signed him from Leicester City for £38m after the Foxes were relegated from the Premier League in 2023.
Barnes had a brilliant individual campaign but couldn’t keep the club in the top-flight, instead signing a five-year St James’ Park deal. The Englishman arrived at the club with plenty of Premier League experience during his time with Leicester and has gone on to star in black and white.
9 Bruno Guimaraes £40m from Lyon
What a signing. Sky Sports has Bruno Guimaraes’ fee at £40m in January 2022, and he was so good in his initial six month-spell that Newcastle could have sold him for double that last summer, with reports suggesting champions Manchester City could have been plotting a player-plus-cash deal to bring the midfielder to the Etihad Stadium.
Instead, they held onto the Brazilian, and that was certainly the right move. Bruno looks like one of the best midfielders in the Premier League right now and Newcastle will do well to find a better signing anytime soon.
8 Joelinton £40m from Hoffenheim
Joelinton arrived for a club-record fee from Hoffenheim as the answer to Newcastle’s goalscoring woes in the summer of 2019. The £40m they paid, per The Guardian, always looked strange as the Brazilian had only scored seven times the previous season, while the most he’d ever managed was eight.
Thus, many joked about Joelinton during his early days on Tyneside, and it appeared Newcastle had made the wrong transfer as he finished his first campaign with two goals. However, it turned out they were just using him in the wrong position. After switching to a midfield role, the player looked transformed and now that £40m fee looks like a very good deal.
7 Jacob Ramsey £43m from Aston Villa
Jacob Ramsey
6 Anthony Gordon £45m from Everton
Sky Sports say Newcastle paid £45m for Anthony Gordon, which sounded like a lot at the time. However, the winger has now justified that fee and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.
In fact, Gordon’s displays during his first full season with the Magpies resulted in him being linked with a move away from the club. Instead of leaving, though, the Englishman signed a fresh long-term Newcastle deal towards the end of 2024.
5 Yoane Wissa £55m from Brentford
On what was a dramatic deadline day in the summer of 2025, Yoane Wissa signed for Newcastle with 30 seconds to spare before the window slammed shut.
A long-term Newcastle target, Wissa pushed for a move to the Magpies from Brentford, costing £55m and taking the number 9 shirt at St James’ Park.
4 Anthony Elanga £55m from Nottingham Forest
Newcastle’s early summer signing in 2025 was Anthony Elanga, who cost £55m after an impressive few years at Nottingham Forest.
The pacey right-winger contributed to four goals in five games against the Magpies for Nottingham Forest, which may have caught PIF’s eye.
3 Sandro Tonali £55m from AC Milan
Sandro Tonali arrived in a high-profile transfer from AC Milan in 2023, however, months after Newcastle splashed the cash, the Italy international was suspended for ten months following illegal betting charges.
The midfielder returned in 2024, and since then, Magpies supporters have seen why the club were willing to spend £55m on his signature, with Tonali a regular in the starting lineup.
2 Alexander Isak £60m from Real Soceidad
The arrival of Alexander Isak was a coup for Newcastle and a true statement that they wanted to sit at the top table. The Swedish striker was one of the top young strikers on the planet and few questioned the £60m fee in 2022, as reported by the BBC.
However, the summer of 2025 changed everything between Isak and Newcastle, with the forward going on strike, looking to sign for Liverpool. He got his wish, with the Magpies recieveing a British record £125m fee for Isak from Liverpool.
1 Nick Woltemade £69m from Stuttgart
Prior to Isak’s departure, Newcastle broke their transfer record by signing young German forward Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart.
After starring at the U21 European Championships, Woltemade was linked with the likes of Bayern Munich but instead moved to St James’ Park in a deal worth £69m.