The Athletic have released a piece on the current state of play at Newcastle United, discussing how our owners have reacted to the recent blip that’s seen us exit European football and the Carabao Cup over the past week.
They report that the ‘message from above’ has been ‘one of unequivocal’ support for Eddie Howe, not increased scutiny, with Staveley, Ghodoussi, Reuben and Ashworth all eager to help the boss through this tricky period.
As for our majority owners and the financial muscle provided by the Saudi PIF, it’s said they plan to back Howe in January, with injuries, fatigue and our struggles to cope with the hectic schedule creating a ‘greater acceptance’ that reinforcements are necessary in 2024.
It seems our spending may be slightly limited, as strict FFP parameters and our complete exit from Europe likely to impact our budget, but loans and ‘one or two’ permanent signings will be looked at.
The Athletic also state that Howe ‘needs players who can deliver immediately’ given the sheer volume of players currently sidelined, meaning we are more likely to target players with Premier League experience or those able to make an instant impact.
Not only that, it’s felt the squad is in need of a mid-season boost and the addition of a few fresh faces could give us exactly that heading into a crucial period in the Premier League and FA Cup; where we face Sunderland on January 6th.
So, while the sections of the media speculate over Howe’s future and football fans across the country wonder if he’ll be coming under pressure, it seems there’s a sense of calm and total support behind the scenes at Newcastle, which is really good to hear.
