Published Jun 21, 2026, 7:15 AM GMT+1

Angus is an opinion and features journalist with Football FanCast.

Having graduated from Southampton Solent University with a degree in Sports Journalism in 2022, Angus found a home at FFC after previously writing for Vavel and OurSoundMusic.

A fervent Liverpool supporter, Angus has covered a range of Premier League clubs, from Liverpool and Everton, to the Old Gold of Wolverhampton and the South Coast of Brighton & Hove Albion. Now, he regularly covers Tottenham Hotspur.

Outside of football, Angus is a voracious reader and plays the piano.

And, once again, it was Liverpool who pipped them to the prize, hijacking a deal for Osasuna winger Victor Munoz at the eleventh hour.

This will not do much to settle the anxieties of the Toon faithful, who are desperate to see their side bounce back after a disappointing season in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe has his work cut out. After selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69m, the Magpies need to land a top replacement.

But that's not the only thing on the manager's agenda.

Newcastle make Premier League star a leading target

There's no sugarcoating it: missing out on Munoz was a detrimental blow for Newcastle, who need to replace Gordon.

It's not only the frontline that needs dealing with, though. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both have a vested interest in Sandro Tonali, and if he leaves, Howe will need to welcome a top-class replacement.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle hope to raid Brighton & Hove Albion for Yasin Ayari, who is currently starring for Sweden at the World Cup.

Last summer, the Seagulls placed a £20m price tag on Ayari; it's fair to say that that figure could have risen exponentially, especially now that he's impressing on football's biggest stage.

The 22-year-old Ayari has been a consistent performer for the Seagulls over the past year, and while he has emerged as a top option for a number of outfits, the Magpies have made him a 'leading target', and will now try and convince him to stay in the Premier League.

Why Ayari could be a bigger talent than Munoz

Ayari is a well-rounded midfielder, someone who has performed consistently for Brighton in the Premier League over the past year. However, he well and truly put his name on the map against Tunisia at the World Cup, bagging two excellent goals.

Against the Netherlands, Sweden had a tougher test, and one that they lost 5-1. Still, Ayari showed that he has the potential to shine for a top side, unfortunate not to get his name on the scoresheet.

As well as his two strikes, the young star also created two chances, made four duels and won all three of his tackles. Hailed as "a very underrated midfielder" by analyst Bence Bocsak, Ayari is the real deal, someone who could help direct the next phase at St. James' Park.

Combative and cultured on the ball, Ayari is going from strength to strength and could cement himself in a Newcastle midfield who are preparing to lose Tonali. Howe wants to keep his Italian maestro, but whether he will succeed there is a completely different question.

Munoz might be the flashier play, but that is inherent within his playing style, and Ayari could have a much bigger impact.

The Swedish talent's all-action midfield approach places him in perfect position to dovetail into Howe's system. More, he could charge that midfield, combining perfectly with skipper Bruno Guimaraes. Having now reinforced his position by starring for Sweden at the World Cup, Ayari is certainly showing that he has the potential to perform at the very highest level.

Newcastle still need to sign a top-class winger, but Munoz only scored six goals in La Liga last season, and while he is talented, there are no guarantees that he would have proved a significant upgrade on Gordon across his first season in the Premier League.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro, Brighton & Hove Albion's Tariq Lamptey, Brighton & Hove Albion's Yasin Ayari, Brighton & Hove Albion's Simon Adingra and Brighton & Hove Albion's Joel Veltman celebrate after the match

Ayari, conversely, is settled within the English game, and he could be the perfect multi-functional presence to recharge Newcastle's midfield ahead of a promising campaign.