Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will welcome players back to Tyneside in the coming days
Alexander Isak during the Newcastle United Training Session
After a well-deserved summer break, Eddie Howe's Champions League-qualifying heroes will be back on Tyneside next week for the start of pre-season preparations at the club's Benton base.
The likes of Tino Livramento, William Osula and any other stars recently on international duty will be granted additional leave, while available senior stars will be put through their paces in front of Howe, head of performance Dan Hodges and performance director James Bunce. Individual-specific work is expected to take precedence before the entire group is back together.
Tests will be undertaken to assess the physical fitness of the returning stars, who were given carefully crafted training plans to follow during their summer holidays. From a coaching perspective, Howe and his staff are expected to more or less stick to the five-week training plans seen in previous summers after seeing successful off-season results in the previous two years.
Focus behind the scenes will be placed on ensuring early injuries aren't picked up, with the likes of Sven Botman still being gently eased into the rough and tumble of training. Joelinton is set to return after a knee problem, while Lewis Hall is back on the grass but is expected back in full training towards the back end of pre-season.
Howe will no doubt be buoyed by what he has seen and heard in recent weeks, with a host of his senior stars knuckling down as they spent time away from Darsley Park. Veteran stars Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles travelled to Turkey, alongside assistant manager Jason Tindall, as they combined family holidays with warm weather training sessions.
Trippier, who also spent time in Ibiza last month, also jetted to the United Arab Emirates to train with elite performance coach Chris Bowman, Rangers captain James Tavernier and Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland.
Harvey Barnes joined team-mate Botman as the pair took time out of their holidays to complete some high intensity drills abroad, while closer to home Jacob Murphy and Sean Longstaff took part in sessions together.
The duo were working with former Sunderland academy star-turned-coach, Andrew Cartwright, who is now a part of the NE Coaching Co. Murphy, in particular, took part in crossing drills as he showcased his ability on the edge of the area to those watching on.
Improvements to Newcastle's current training facilities remain in the works, with the club recently submitting plans for a 1,350 square meter extension of Darsley Park, to allow for more office, meeting and support space. This, while the club continue to seek out a suitable location for a new state-of-the-art training base.
In other off the pitch news, Newcastle chiefs are still hard at work seeking out reinforcements for Howe's squad. Despite no joy in the opening month of the summer window - and frustration building externally - transfer talks are ongoing over multiple targets.
Howe will be seeking fresh faces in his dressing room before United kickstart their pre-season with a trip to Celtic on July 19. After that, trips to Singapore and South Korea will see Newcastle take on Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and an all-star K League side.
Returning to Tyneside, Spanish duo Espanyol and Atletico Madrid will both arrive at St James' Park one week before United's Premier League opener with Aston Villa.
Before then, movement could be seen regarding contract talks with Alexander Isak. Chronicle Live this week reported 'quiet talks' had been held over a new and improved deal, with club chiefs seeing no immediate danger of losing a player under contract until 2028.
Liverpool's reported interest refuses to go away, however, and many Newcastle insiders will be acutely aware speculation will continue until the Swede signs on the dotted line and commits his future to the black and white outfit.
In other transfer news, one fresh face is guaranteed to arrive on these shores in August, with Dinamo Tbilisi youngster Vakhtang Salia finally becoming an official Newcastle player when he turns 18 on August 30. It is expected the teenage talent will be loaned out, along with recent addition Antonio Cordero, to ensure he receives regular game time at an appropriate level.
By then, there is also hope Newcastle will have senior signings to show off, as talks continue over deals for James Trafford and Anthony Elanga. Howe would also like to see the heart of his defence strengthened. It promises to be a busy couple of months.