Newcastle had frustrations in the transfer window, notably a failure to agree a deal with Crystal Palace to sign England defender Marc Guehi, with four offers going up to £65m rejected.
However, the return to Premier League action for Sandro Tonali will be like a new signing for boss Eddie Howe.
The 24-year-old Italy midfielder made his first appearance in the league since serving a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations and helped Newcastle scrape a vital, albeit fortunate, 2-1 over Tottenham.
When Tonali came on in the 68th minute, to a standing ovation as he replaced Sean Longstaff, the game was in the balance at 1-1, with Spurs piling on the pressure.