‘He’d be a great signing’ – Two players recommended to Eddie Howe by former Toon duo

Former Mags John Barnes and Shaka Hislop have some transfer advice for Eddie Howe, naming two players Newcastle United should sign this summer.

Barnes believes Man Utd’s Harry Maguire “would be a great signing” for the club, suggesting St James’ Park would be the perfect fresh start for the under fire England international.

As for Hislop, the ex-Toon stopper feels Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic would thrive at this new-look Newcastle United, feeling Howe would get the best out of the USA star as he has done with Miguel Almiron.

He claims the 24-year-old – who we tried to sign on loan in January – has ‘no ego’, would listen to the advice of coaches and buy into our style of play, also offering the sort of pace and goal threat we’re after in wide areas.

Here’s what both had to say, starting with Barnes’ thoughts on Maguire:

“I think Harry Maguire would be a great signing for Newcastle. He’s English, he’s a main player for the national side and he’d be a good signing for Newcastle if it comes off.

“I think Maguire can have a better time at Newcastle. Because of course, you look at him when he plays for England and of course Harry always plays and Gareth Southgate loves him in the team.

“It just hasn’t worked for him at Man Utd and once it doesn’t work, it’s going to be difficult for the fans to back him.

“Once he’s got this perception, no matter how well you do for England or elsewhere, it will be difficult for him to do that at Man Utd.”

Speaking to ESPN, Shaka Hislop has had this to say on Pulisic:

“I think he’d get the management he needs at Newcastle United.

“Listen, if Newcastle come in for Christian Pulisic, if I have anything to do with advising him, I’m telling him take it. Let’s remember Christian Pulisic has struggled to establish himself in a team that just finished 12th in the league. And given his stop-start and inconsistencies in English football – even dating back to his latter Dortmund days – right now, to get a team finishing in the top-four, top-half of the Premier League, I can’t think of any other.

“The reason I say he’ll get the management he needs is because I look at what Eddie Howe has done with Almiron.

“If you look at the wide players at Newcastle, we’re talking Willock or Murphy, Eddie Howe likes utilising that pace. I would have him. I think he fits how Eddie Howe likes to play. He does not bring the kind of ego and will allow himself to be coached, to learn under Eddie Howe. And just as Almiron did, I think he has a significant role to play.”