A suggestion about Eddie Howe’s transfer policy has irked the Newcastle United manager.
Howe has been in place at Newcastle United since November 2021, proving to be a masterstroke appointment from owners PIF.
The Newcastle United manager ended the club’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy earlier this season by winning the Carabao Cup at Wembley, while next season will be the second campaign in which he leads them out in the Champions League.
Howe has also overseen some brilliant signings at Newcastle. PIF value Howe’s judgement in the transfer market, and for good reason indeed.
It’s difficult to think of a bad signing in the Howe era, which is what appears to have annoyed him.
Eddie Howe looks on during Newcastle United's Premier League game against Aston Villa at St James' Park.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Eddie Howe annoyed at theory about Newcastle United transfer strategy
According to The Athletic, Howe is annoyed by a theory that he focuses purely on Premier League experience when it comes to buying players.
While not an exact science, Premier League clubs tend to be in a much healthier financial position than teams on the continent, such is the power of the English top flight.
As such, they are generally in a position to ask for much more money. Newcastle were shocked they could sign Sandro Tonali for £55million, and he came from one of Europe’s most storied clubs in AC Milan.
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If Tonali had been playing for an English club, it’s fair to suggest he would have cost more.
Player Selling club Fee
Alexander Isak Real Socieadad £63m
Sandro Tonali AC Milan £55m
Bruno Guimaraes Lyon £41.5m
Sven Botman Lille £35m
Newcastle United’s major signings from foreign clubs during PIF era
Still, while a lot of Newcastle’s signings have come from other Premier League clubs, Howe would “strongly dispute” the idea that he places too much emphasis on experience in English football.
Tonali, Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman all arrived from abroad and largely hit the ground running on Tyneside.
Newcastle value Tonali at over £100million, meaning they’d double their money if any other club genuinely tried to sign him.
Furthermore, Newcastle want at least £150million for Isak, making the £63million paid to sign him in 2022 look like a bargain.
There would seem to be little chance that Newcastle would sell Guimaraes or Botman for anything less than huge money, either.
With that in mind, Howe is right to be annoyed at the suggestions. Some of his very best signings have come from outside the Premier League.
There’s little doubt that Premier League experience is a bonus but, clearly at Newcastle, it’s not an absolute requirement.