Newcastle put transfer plans on hold as Eddie Howe returns for big day on Tyneside – Report

Following the arrival of three defensive additions, Newcastle will now ‘take stock’ of the market and our current squad before committing to moves for attacking targets, according to Craig Hope.

With most of the players due back for the start of pre-season training this morning, The Mail’s North-East correspondent reports that Eddie Howe is keen to take another look at his options.

This comes after the signings of Matt Targett, Nick Pope and Sven Botman over the past three weeks, seeing us strengthen at the back and spend just shy of £60m in the process.

Now, with the club still in the market for at least one striker and a right-winger, it looks like we’ll take time to assess our next steps – especially when there’s been little movement on outgoings and no progress made on Hugo Ekitike.

The likes of Matt Ritchie, Ciaran Clark, Dwight Gayle and Jeff Hendrick are surplus to requirements, but it seems all four haven’t attracted a great deal of interest so far, with Karl Darlow’s links with Middlesbrough also going quiet as they look set to sign Man City’s Zack Steffen instead.

So far so good on the transfer front, however it’s important we move a few on over the comings weeks to trim down an overcrowded squad filled with a few too many who won’t be making Howe’s 25-man squad.