LONDON: Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has warned there will be no big transfer spend this summer, with Premier League Financial Fair Play, or FFP, rules biting hard.
While some quarters expect the Saudi-led Magpies to splurge — much like Chelsea and Manchester City — in the transfer market this summer, Howe admits Newcastle are working to much tighter guidelines than their top-end rivals.
And Howe has revealed that without Champions League football — Newcastle finished fourth to return to the competition for the first time in 20 years — the spend in the next window would have been even less.
“We had discussions last night — those discussions did take place,” said Howe in relation to a transfer summit with the club’s ownership group.
“I don’t think a budget is ever outlined because there’s always so many variables to it, but we certainly know where we stand.
“Is the budget big? Well, when you’re (sitting) in my shoes, it’s never as big as you want it to be. Financial Fair Play, as I always say, will impact what we do this summer. Certainly, without Champions League football, it would have been very difficult for us to have done much in the transfer market at all. The fact we have that has given us a bit of a lift.”
Howe knows he will have to strengthen if the Magpies are to fight on four fronts next season, evidenced in the club’s labored, end-of-season 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
Howe said: “It was a tough game, a really tough game.
“The conditions were difficult, it was very hot, I can vouch for that from the side of the pitch. I thought we did really well first half. We were a real transitional threat and should have been ahead at half-time. We missed some really good chances, and the second half was tough. Chelsea came into it and made some really good substitutions, with high-quality players coming onto the pitch. We’re probably pleased to get a draw in the end.”
Trading — selling players — and producing products from within the club’s own academy will help Newcastle along the way. In truth, they likely need to do more of that as things progress. One player who might end up saving the club a lot of money is 17-year-old Lewis Miley, who made his debut in West London. Miley hit the bar late on with a strike from the edge of the box.
“Lewie is a really exciting talent,” said Howe. “He should be pleased with how he did when he came on. It’s a tough environment to come into for your first Premier League game, but he could have nicked it. He’s a very good finisher, so it wouldn’t have surprised me to see that go on.”
Goalscorer Anthony Gordon is one who proved a pricey buy in the last window — and only on Sunday did he really show any justification for Howe’s $55-million winter outlay.
“I was really pleased for Anthony. I thought he played a different role due to the injuries we had in that area of the pitch. I’ve brought him on in that position a few times, in running, and I think he’s done okay there so I decided to trust him with that role from the start,” said Howe.
“He didn’t let me down — I thought he was really good and had some really good moments in that first half. He probably tired a little bit in the second, but I’m really pleased that he scored and hopefully that will give him a big lift going into next season.”
