Joao Pedro
Joao Pedro
A move for a top target like Joao Pedro not coming off? Newcastle United have been here before. Many times, in fact.
Going back to first window, in 2022, leaky had been frustrated in their efforts to sign defenders Diego Carlos and(who eventually arrived in the summer).
There was understandable concern among supporters, at a time when Newcastle did not have a sporting director in place, but the black-and-whites pivoted and turned their attention to alternatives.
"Please don't think I'm sat there with a list of one player and that's the only player that we would go for," Howe stressed.
Newcastle went on to complete the signing of Dan Burn, who had not exactly been top of the club's shopping list.
In fact, Burn even felt the need to take matters into his own hands at one point and asked for Howe's phone number while on a mid-season break in Dubai with his family.
Burn effectively pleaded his case as the Geordie told the Newcastle boss about what he could bring to his boyhood club on and off the field.
Burn, to this day, maintains that it 'made a difference' after Newcastle stumped up £13m to sign the defender from Brighton in the final throes of the month.
Burn proved one of the most inspired recruits in Newcastle's history and, going back further to a previous era, defensive partner Fabian Schar, similarly, was not at a top target in 2018. Yet the Swiss will also go down as one of the best pound-for-pound signings the club have ever made.
There are no guarantees, of course, and outgoing sporting director Paul Mitchell felt that Newcastle could have had more names in mind after a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi did not come off last summer.
However, this is the shallow pool Newcastle are now fishing in to find what Howe terms the 'right player'.
Newcastle have faced intense competition to do just that this summer and Dean Huijsen, Pedro and Liam Delap are among the targets who have ultimately looked elsewhere.
However, Newcastle still have time on their side to adapt and the Magpies have names on their list who have yet to emerge in the public domain.
Newcastle will have to be smart to strengthen several areas of the team, but the black-and-whites remain in a strong position to finally recruit as football finance expert Professor Rob Wilson explained.
"Firstly, Liverpool have pulled the market up given their early activity," he told ChronicleLive. "Secondly, because of the June 30 deadline, the finance guy in my head says tip it into the next PSR period to buy yourself more flexibility over the three-year rolling period.
"We know Newcastle got fairly tight last year. They have created themselves some headroom so expect more activity after July 1."
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