Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has underlined the importance of qualifying for the Champions League - admitting that the Europa League could have dented his recruitment hopes because of the pull of playing in Europe's elite competition.
Howe guided his team to Europe's top table by finishing fifth in the end, but that could sway certain deals with top stars desperate to play Champions League action next season.
For Howe, it should also boost his kitty with the potential of an extra £100m coming United's way.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "It is important. I don't think it's the be all and end all. Football and football players think slightly differently to that.
"The financial is still number one in the sense that a player will always, in my experience, look at that.
"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.
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"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."
Howe immediately set off to the boardroom for transfer talks moments after losing to Everton. But he said that money is not the only factor when it comes to securing new players.
He went on: "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."
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