Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is hopeful of at least one more player being signed in time for Aston Villa next weekend
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: Getty Images)
PIF officials were at St James' Park this weekend to hand Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe some much-needed assistance on transfers.
As United close in on a deal for Malick Thiaw, Howe did not play down imminent talk of the 6ft 4in AC Milan defender's arrival to United.
Milan face a friendly clash at Chelsea today but Thiaw is expected to be heading north and talk of a medical has been cranked up in the last 24 hours.
When asked if the deal was close for Thiaw, Howe simply said: "Let's see what happens."
The arrival of another centre-back would leave Newcastle with three right-sided players in the heart of Howe's defence with Fabian Schar and club captain Jamaal Lascelles also on board.
When asked about PIF's back to the cause, despite the Alexander Isak saga and slow progress on transfers, Howe said over the weekend: "The owners are very much engaged, as much as they always have been.
"This has been a challenging period where there’ll be a lot of different opinions on different subjects, but can assure everybody connected with Newcastle that the owners are very much behind the project and fighting every day for the club."
Alexander Isak situation now out of Eddie Howe's hands
Howe has done everything he can with Isak in a bid to try to get him focused back on playing for Newcastle.
The talks are believed to have been tricky but Howe's "wish and want" was for Isak to rejoin the group and play against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, with Isak not receptive to such suggestions.
When asked if there could be a U-turn on Isak, Howe said: "That's not for me to answer, that's for him to answer."
In a 17-minute Press conference, Howe made it clear that a decision on whether Isak is sold to Liverpool was in the hands of PIF.
And that, at this stage, he was unaware of any suggestions that Isak was "not for sale" after being asked to clarify reports claiming PIF had told Isak he had to stay.
Lewis Hall fitness race under way
The left-back played in the first half against Espanyol on Friday night in what was described as a planned decision.
Hall then took part in a rigorous fitness test on the pitch at half-time but is slightly behind both Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento in terms of match minutes after coming back from a foot injury last season.
Ahead of a long season, Howe is taking precautions on the England ful-back and won't risk him against Aston Villa if he is not convinced he is 100% fit.
In any case, Trippier has had a good pre-season and Livramento continues to excel at left-back leaving Howe with a welcome headache.