Insiders acknowledge to i that Newcastle will have to get better at trading as Eddie Howe warns of a 'difficult' summer transfer window
Newcastle have some players back and free weeks but availability is not the same as being fully match fit. Howe revealed that, a target of criticism, has been playing with a foot injury that requires careful management and pain-killing injections. He cannot be rested because Newcastle don’t have any alternatives – Howe is “protecting” 17-year-oldby taking him out of the first-team firing line – but the Newcastle boss admits it is to his detriment that he is being used.
An accusation aimed at Howe is that he is not prepared to be ruthless enough. Not true, those close to him say. Players are called out, he is “hard but constructive”.“I think it’s my job to support the players in the media, 100 per cent,” he said. “Behind the scenes, not everyone sees what they’re giving. Sometimes when a players goes out and plays, but isn’t feeling great, and then they don’t perform to the level they want to, they get criticism for it and you’re thinking, ‘He’s actually playing for the club here – he’s not playing for himself’.
Howe insists Newcastle are going to the Etihad to win and they have two close defeats and a decent win against them as evidence they can cause them problems. But a repeat of the defensive frailties of recent weeks will make it impossible.there isn’t huge headroom to invest in the way the club did in the first two transfer windows and Howe was hinting at that on Friday.
A suggestion that a £9m fee was close to being agreed was strongly rebutted by Manchester United this week. Sources at Old Trafford suggest Newcastle paid £3m to Brighton for Ashworth and any compensation will be closer to that. The Magpies, obviously, want more – especially if he is to start immediately.