Magpies will look to bolster their squad once Champions League football is secured
It is a sliding doors moment for Newcastle United. Win against Everton on Sunday and their recruitment drive will be turbocharged by qualifying for the Champions League.
Defeat and, as Eddie Howe admits, it will be impossible to escape the feeling that a historic campaign has curdled into a huge missed opportunity.
“Emotions swing so quickly that [if Newcastle fail to qualify] it will feel like a huge disappointment,” he said.
If either Aston Villa or one of Chelsea or Nottingham Forest win, it will require victory against a stubborn Toffees who will relish playing the spoiling role for Newcastle to stamp their Champions League ticket.
Tension is bound to be high on Tyneside given what is at stake. The ramifications are huge.
No ‘huge rebuild’
Howe says the club has a “big summer” ahead of it but he is not a manager who really does revolution.
“I’m not sure about the thought it’s going to be a huge change this summer,” he told The i Paper on Friday. “I’m in a position where I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Newcastle need numbers and, as Howe pointed out, they are yet to replace Elliot Anderson, Miguel Almiron or Lloyd Kelly. They want players for each of those positions plus a couple of marquee signings (a centre-back and right-sided forward) to take them to the next level.
The Champions League will help immensely but given European football has already been assured, the squad needs to have a very different look next season.
Outgoings will be limited, though Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff look set to depart.
While he was hugely complimentary about Wilson, the striker has not been offered a new contract and Howe’s assertion that it will be “taken care of after the season has finished” tells its own story.
Isak contract talks might not run smoothly
No prizes for guessing the plotline engaging most at Newcastle this week. When Isak plays, Newcastle tend to win.
When he has not started this season, they have yet to record a win. He has not trained this week but the vibes seem to be that he will play some part on Sunday.
Beyond that? Newcastle won’t sell this summer and that message has been relayed to interested parties but there is an acceptance that fresh contract talks might be complicated. Champions League football will certainly help matters.
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Champions League takes them into different sphere
An extra £100m added to the bottom line is one thing. But given the sort of markets they are looking at, having a sales pitch that includes Tuesday and Wednesday nights under the lights is crucial.
Their pitch to Dean Huijsen, which impressed his representatives, included the possibility of Champions League football (a non-negotiable for the player).
“It’s about the football achievement. It’s not about the finances, everyone talks about finances and I understand why because that is important but for us it’s about wanting to play against the best teams in the best competition,” Howe said.