Eddie Howe talks with Bruno Guimaraes in the wake of Newcastle's final game of the season (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA)
Eddie Howe talks with Bruno Guimaraes in the wake of Newcastle's final game of the season (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA)
EDDIE HOWE is hoping Newcastle United will make some early transfer inroads this summer – but has warned that the club is still not in a position where they can pay whatever it takes to sign established world-class talent.
The Magpies will be back in the Champions League next season after a dramatic final day of the Premier League saw them finish in fifth position despite losing at home to Everton.
The club’s position in relation to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability regulations was already much healthier than had been in the case in each of the last two summers, and the coffers will now be swelled further by the riches that are on offer in the Champions League, with an estimated £80m guaranteed once all revenue streams are taken into account.
Howe was due to meet Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s game, and is confident that after a succession of transfer windows in which the Magpies have barely conducted any business, there will be scope for significant activity this summer.
However, when it comes to signing players from the very highest echelon of the world game, the head coach concedes the club are still not in a position where they could afford to outbid the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Liverpool.
“If you’re talking about someone at the very top, who is already established, then I think the wages and the financial package becomes difficult for us,” said Howe. “That’s me speaking honestly, as much as we might want it.
“Of course, it’s much easier for me to bring in a ready-made, established, world-class player, but I don't think we've done that since I've been here because we haven't been able to financially.
“We’re not in the position of some of the other clubs, we have to bring them in and then try to make them into that. I still don’t envisage that changing because of the PSR restraints on us.”
Nevertheless, there is a strong desire to be active participants in the market this summer, with a goalkeeper, a right-sided centre-half and a right-sided attacker all having been earmarked as priority positions. With Callum Wilson seemingly set to leave when his contract expires next month, there will also be a need for another forward.
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James Trafford remains a key goalkeeping target, although there will be strong competition if Burnley are persuaded to sell, while Newcastle’s long-standing interest in Marc Guehi remains intact. Bryan Mbeumo and Jarrod Bowen are under consideration when it comes to wide attackers, along with Lyon’s Rayan Cherki.
Unlike last year, when Newcastle were backed into a corner and forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh because of PSR issues, the club are also in a position where they could exploit other clubs’ financial problems ahead of the June accountancy deadline. There are suggestions that Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest will be looking to offload players, meaning that the Magpies will have to be primed to move rapidly next month.
“Speed is key for us,” said Howe. “I’ve reiterated that many times internally. Speed is key because we have to be dynamic, we have to be ready to conclude things very, very quickly because good players don't hang around for long.
“That’s always been my thought and my message on recruitment because you can have a period where you think you've got time, but then you can look around very quickly and realise that that time has elapsed and you have missed opportunities that you won't get again.
“That's what we'll be trying, but obviously the reality of that is it's not always in your hands. But we'll be doing our best to do things early.”
Being back in the Champions League should help, with a return to European football’s top table increasing the allure of a move to St James’ Park as well as strengthening Newcastle’s financial position.
“The financial is still number one in the sense that a player will always, in my experience, look at that,” said Howe. “Of course, there are loads of other things, but I'm talking purely when you're talking about a transfer, financials are so important.
“But the power of the Champions League and the pull of the Champions League is huge, and we can't get away from that, the excitement that this will bring for the people here.
“And, of course, it's a selling point for us now, it's an opportunity for us to sell that dream to future players who that might be considering coming to us.
“As I said, we've got to get the financials right, we've got to get every other aspect of trying to sign players here right, and hopefully we can do that.”