The Magpies were in the market for Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo but could not match their wage demands
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has singled out Jacob Ramsey as the perfect example on why patience should remain the watchword on his recruitment.
During an intriging, pre-match Press conference on the eve of the game, Howe admitted interest in Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo after the Magpies struggled to get priority targets. Sesko went to Old Trafford from RB Leipzig for £73.7m while the ex-Brentford man's £300,000 a week demands took him to Manchester.
From all of Howe's summer buys only Malick Thiaw has been a consistent success story while Nick Woltemade enjoyed a good first half to the 2025/26 campaign. However, Anthony Elanga, Ramsey and Yoane Wissa have not hit their highest heights yet.
However, Ramsey has started to rediscover the type of form that attracted Newcastle to sign him from Aston Villa for £41m. The midfielder has been passed fit to face Manchester United and Howe said: "He's getting better and better. When we first signed him, it was clear from the training we were doing how good, technically, he is.
"He very rarely wastes the ball, is really good in tight areas and he has good athleticism to add to the other side so I think he has a little bit of everything.
"It's been great to see him score a couple of really important goals for us. Naturally, playing in midfield, I think you need to contribute in that area as well. That will do his confidence levels, those two goals, the world of good.
"I think he now feels fully at home and comfortable what he's been asked to do so really positive signs for him."
But there have been wider concerns from some sections of fans on Howe's other recruitment. Wissa is struggling with fitness and form, Woltemade can't get into a rhythm and many feel he is being played out of position while Elanga has shown glimpses of what he can do with no consistency at all.
Howe said: "Recruitment is everything. Was that my quote, you live or die by recruitment? It’s very good! I believe in that.
"If you get that wrong, I believe it’s very difficult to have the success that you want. But with recruitment, you need to take a longer-term view."
Howe is not the type of head coach who believes in panic buys or rash judgement. He added: "You can take a short-term view and make big assumptions that could be wrong. If you take a long-term view of our recruitment, certainly since I’ve been here, I think it’s been excellent.
"When you look back, percentage-wise, I’m not sure there is a club that has had the success rate we’ve had. Then you look short term and you can make mistakes. I think you’ve got to look over a longer-term period if you’re going back to the summer for us.
"Of course, there are question marks, and people will have different opinions. But a case in point will be Jacob Ramsey - just give players a bit of time to prove their worth and settle into what we ask them to do. There is a lot to take in."
Newcastle were also in the market for two stars that ended up at Man United, their next opponents, after being put off by wage demands of Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.
Howe said: "I think Manchester United recruited really well. They are outstanding players. They were players we were aware of in the summer, of course, so well done to them.
"For us, I’m really happy with the players we’ve got. They are all on different journeys to reach their best level, and I believe they’ll get there. I’m really happy with the squad, but we’ve got work to do to be at our best level."
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