Newcastle United are on course to qualify for Europe for just the second time since the 2012/13 season.
The Champions League campaign in 2023/24 didn’t quite go to plan for Eddie Howe’s side, but if they do return, the club will be more mature in their bid to reach the knockout stages.
Prior to this, the last time Newcastle played on the continent was in the Europa League during the 2012/13 season, reaching the quarter-finals of the competition.
Their star player back then was Yohan Cabaye and the Frenchman became something of a cult icon during his spell at the club.
Why Yohan Cabaye was a cult figure for Newcastle
In the summer of 2011, the Magpies signed Cabaye from Lille for a fee in the region of just £4.3m, and it soon proved to be a bargain.
His first season was a magnificent success, registering four goals and grabbing six assists in the Premier League as the Toon secured European qualification for the first time in nearly a decade after a fifth-place finish.
While the following season saw the club drop to 16th in the top flight, Cabaye continued to impress, and he was beginning to attract plenty of attention.
This ability to both score and create chances caught the eye of PSG, who swooped to sign him in January 2014 for £20m, ensuring Newcastle made a profit on the player.
18 goals and 12 assists in 93 matches for the club was impressive indeed but has Howe now found the club’s new Cabaye?
Newcastle's next Yohan Cabaye
Newcastle have made plenty of superb signings since PIF completed their takeover of the club, notably Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes.
However, the underrated Sandro Tonali deserves his flowers too having now proven himself to be one of the best signings the club has made in years when he joined from AC Milan two years ago.
That being said, it did not start in the best possible way. Indeed, a ten-month ban came into force in October 2023 after he was found guilty of betting on matches involving Milan.
Since returning to the first-team fold earlier this season, however, Tonali has been in excellent form, proving himself to be well worth the reported £55m fee they shelled out.
Goals
3
Assists
1
Big chances created
1
Key passes per game
0.4
Total duels won per game
3.7
Tackles per game
1.5
Across 38 matches in all competitions for the club, the Italian has scored five times and chipped in with two assists, the last of which came on Sunday against United.
Cabaye was the fulcrum for Newcastle during 2011/12 as they finished fifth, and it appears as though Tonali is embracing a very similar mantle under Howe, aiming to drive the Toon towards another stint in continental football..
The £120k-per-week midfielder has been dubbed as a “big game player” by talent scout Jacek Kulig previously, and he is exuding these talents this term.
His three league goals have all come during vital wins over Southampton, Brentford and Manchester United this season, highlighting how good he is when the pressure is on.
If he continues his recent form over the final few games of the campaign, Newcastle will secure a spot in the Champions League group stages for the second time in three seasons.
It’s safe to say they struck gold on this one.
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