GATESHEAD – Eddie Howe has re-iterated that Newcastle United are trying to add “more quality” to their squad with a strict budget this summer, admitting there have been moments of frustration for him in the close season.
Speaking after the Magpies’ pre-season curtain raiser at Gateshead on Saturday, he emphasised the need to add more depth to Newcastle’s squad to cope with the requirements of their Champions League campaign but also set out in detail the issues they are facing.
The Magpies are interested in Leicester’s Harvey Barnes but Howe says no incoming deals are close. And he said Newcastle would be unlikely to make another signing in a similar price bracket to Sandro Tonali, the £52million Italy international recruited earlier this month.
“We have a very strict budget that we’re trying to work within,” he said.
“Always with Financial Fair Play, there are certain things you can be creative on but we don’t have a huge budget to work with.
Newcastle fielded a scratch side as they made the short hop across the river but Allan Saint-Maximin impressed as he led a second half fight-back.
He is one of the players being linked with an exit but Howe said he hoped the French winger would stay and that he would be joined by further high calibre additions.
“I can share that we want to bring players into the football club but they have to be the right ones and they have to be at the right level,” Howe said.
“We’re working hard to do that, we’ve been working hard all summer. It’s difficult to get good players, as it is with any club, but we’ll keep going.”
Newcastle have been at pains to stress that their budget – despite the wealthy backing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund – is hamstrung by FFP.
Asked whether he had been frustrated at times by transfer setbacks in the close season, Howe admitted he had. James Maddison was a priority target but joined Spurs.
“I’m a mixture of all things at different times,” Howe said of his mood.
“I’m patient and understand the parameters we’re working in but I also know the needs we have. For me it’s not a case of we want to do it, we need to do it. And being a coach I want them on the grass available now so (I feel) all of those things together.”
A chief concern is squad depth, with Newcastle having handed fringe men Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett new one-year contracts partly to mitigate for the extra fixtures.
“It’s huge for us this year,” he said.
“With the competitions that we’re in, having three games a week we need to be able to rotate the team but to be able to bring in players who are of equal standard.
“That’s what we’re looking to do but we know we have a lot of work to do to do that. Players are expensive these days.
“We’re working within FFP guidelines which is very difficult for us. We might need to be creative, but we’re trying to look at every avenue we can to make the club stronger.”
Newcastle overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit to prevail 3-2 at Gateshead, with Saint-Maximin, Eliot Anderson and Jay Turner-Cooke scoring amid torrential downpours and lightning.
New signing Tonali was among the interested spectators at the International Stadium, having joined up with his new teammates for fitness tests on Friday. Howe said the midfielder can “elevate everyone around him” next season.
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