It is fairly obvious that Newcastle United will be in the market for further additions to their midfield ranks after losing two of their key players this summer.

Bruno Guimaraes' £75m transfer to Premier League giants Arsenal was confirmed over the weekend, making him the second big-money departure of the summer.

Sandro Tonali already completed a £100m move to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the summer, in a move that made him the most expensive player in the club's history.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was one of the options they were considering but after being rejected by the player, they will need to hunt for alternatives.

Why missing out on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is a blow for Newcastle

According to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, Newcastle United had been in talks with Marseille over a deal to sign central midfielder Hojbjerg. A deal was ready to be done at a bargain fee in the region of £13m.

However, after a break down in talks, it was revealed by Fabrizio Romano on Monday afternoon that the player had rejected a move to St James’ Park, turning down their proposal.

It represents another big blow for the Magpies in a summer where they have lost their best players, their manager, and been rejected by Johan Manzambi who ended up heading to Aston Villa instead.

Doubts were raised over the quality of Hojbjerg, but it would have been a shrewd signing by the Toon hierarchy.

Indeed, the Dane's performances in the French top-flight during the 2025/26 campaign show that he has the ability to make an impact on matches in possession with goals and assists.

Hojbjerg has the quality on the ball to make things happen by playing progressive passes between the lines to spark attacks and create chances for his teammates.

The 31-year-old talent would have been a dream partner for Joelinton, primarily as he’d have complemented the Brazil international's powerful defensive-minded displays with his use of the ball.

He is not just a creative-minded midfielder, though. The Dane also won 50% of his ground duels and 60% of his aerial duels in Ligue 1 last season, showing that the £13m-rated star can also hold his own in physical battles.

Hojbjerg, of course, is also a player who knows exactly what it takes to perform in the Premier League, making 254 appearances for Southampton and Spurs combined.

The experienced star would have been able to hit the ground running under Jaissle; he knows the country, he knows the league, and would not need any time to adapt to the division.

So, what do they do now they have missed out on him? Well, there is an alternative, but they may need to be quick about it.

Newcastle's perfect Hojbjerg alternative

The same report from Hope named another possible signing for Jaissle to bring in to bolster his options in the middle of the park before the deadline.

It has been revealed that Newcastle are also exploring a potential deal to sign Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha to add more quality to their midfield ranks.

The reporter claimed that the Portugal international is attracting interest from both the Magpies and Premier League rivals Aston Villa, after he spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs had an option to sign him on a permanent basis for £26m, but opted against doing so, and that gives an idea of the kind of fee that Newcastle may have to pay to secure his services.

Palhinha would be an ideal alternative to Hojbjerg in the transfer market for Jaissle because he is another proven Premier League player who would be able to hit the ground running at St. James' Park.

The Dane would have joined with prior experience with Southampton and Spurs in the English top-flight, whilst the Portuguese destroyer has played for Fulham and Spurs in the division.

In fact, Palhinha was a standout performer among defensive midfielders in the Premier League during his time on loan with the Lilywhites in the 2025/26 campaign.

The 31-year-old talent ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of defensive metrics, which suggests that he would join as an outstanding contributor off the ball.

On top of his impressive defensive work, Palhinha also scored five goals from 2.70 xG in 33 appearances in the Premier League for Tottenham, showing that he can also offer a threat in the final third.

Therefore, the £26m-rated star could be the perfect alternative to Hojbjerg because he is another proven Premier League star who can make an instant impact on pitch by providing quality both on and off the ball in the middle of the park.