We’re just a few days into the first week following the 2024/25 Premier League season, and already there has been a few major developments at Newcastle United.
Paul Mitchell’s departure is imminent less than 12 months on from his arrival, a pre-season trip to South Korea has been confirmed and the club are edging closer to finding a replacement for CEO Darren Eales, who will step down soon following a blood cancer diagnosis.
Mitchell’s exit will NOT impact our transfer plans, as explained yesterday, but what has Eddie Howe been saying about the big summer ahead?
After refusing to confirm or deny whether Callum Wilson will remain at the club this summer, Eddie Howe was asked if we could see plenty of movement both in and out.
Although Howe and the fans will no doubt be disappointed to see some familiar faces leave the club, the manager has assured that any changes will be an opportunity to take the squad to an even higher level.
“Change is a natural process that you go through in life. A football squad has to evolve, it has to change,” Howe told the media.
“The same people coming back to form the same squad is not healthy. That’s always very difficult to do because you are losing people that have given you absolutely everything, in every moment, in every training session, in every game.
“It’s some people who have done unbelievable things to help you achieve success. But sometimes the best thing for you and for them is for you to part ways.
“It’s not necessarily a negative thing for either party. But I think we’re sort of in that position where we need some healthy change to the squad.”
Since the takeover, Newcastle have struck gold with deals in the region of £35-60m, bringing in top talent with a high ceiling to improve.
This includes the likes of Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Anthony Gordon and even Bruno, Tonali and Isak; a trio with world class potential who have only seen their stock rise since arriving on Tyneside.
Howe hints that our buying policy remains the same despite our PSR situation improving, believing we will bring in players with the potential to become world-class; not spend mega-money sums on ready-made superstars.
“As much as we would want, and it’s much easier for me to bring in a ready-made world-class player, I don’t think we have done that since I came here because we haven’t been able to financially,” Howe said.
“We are not in the position of the other clubs. We have brought them in and we make them that. I don’t envisage that changing because of the profitability and sustainability rules [PSR] restraints on us.”
As an example, this suggests we couldn’t be in the market for £80m-rated Florian Wirtz, but players below that price bracket – think Tonali, Isak, Bruno and Botman – with potential to grow with the club could be pursued again.