With the January window edging closer and a big emphasis placed on potential ins and outs that could help us work within the constraints of PSR, Eddie Howe has been answering a host of questions from the media today.
The boss discussed our plans for Lewis Miley and our ongoing battle with financial rules, with it widely accepted that we must sell this winter to sanction a big-money signing.
Here’s what he had to say on both, starting with his comments on our fit-again 18-year-old midfielder…
Loan exit ruled out
Speaking in this morning’s press conference, Howe was asked if Lewis Miley could leave the club on loan in January as the exciting talent prepares for a return to first team football after a spell on the sidelines.
Howe was emphatic in his response when asked if the teenager could leave on loan, saying: “No (he won’t be leaving in January), Lewis will stay. He’s too important to us.”
An unsurprising answer to say the least and no real surprise after a report last week claimed we are now listening to offers for Sean Longstaff. Should the latter leave, we’d very much need Miley, who should get more game time over the second half of the season.
Howe then discussed his gradual return to competitive action, adding: “Lewis is an outstanding young player. He’s had a difficult time with injuries so we’ve had to nurse him back and I thought the right path was for him to play games. He played last night [against Chelsea] albeit for a short period as he will be involved with us tomorrow. Getting his rhythm back is a really underrated thing.
“Players can rush that final part so when Lewis now plays in the first-team he will be at a really good level because of that. There’s fierce competition in that area, when you look at the starting three we had in there on Saturday, outstanding players in their own right, then you’ve got Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff, two vastly experienced players behind those.
“Lewis is going to be an outstanding player for this club for many, many years but we need to help his recovery back into the first-team well and he’s now getting himself back into a position where he’s able to play.”
Miley played for the U21s on Monday night, alongside Sven Botman, and will be in the squad against Brentford. With two lengthy injuries of his own this calendar year, and no pre-season under his belt, Howe is proving keen to ease him back into action.
Howe: PSR is having a huge impact on our growth
In the same press conference today, Howe also admitted to the ‘dramatic effect’ of PSR on the clubs ambitions, with the relatively new rules proving difficult to navigate.
“I would say it has had a dramatic effect on the speed of the journey,” said Howe on Tuesday morning. “That has dramatically changed because of the rules. You can feel that change as everybody gets to grips with PSR.
“And the actual reality of it. Because I think there was a period of time where it was unclear on how it would change and what the punishments would be. The punishments are now very real for the clubs and there is nothing more sobering than a points deduction in terms of changing what you have to do to comply.
“I think that has been the biggest change in our reality in what we can and can’t do. And of course that will affect our ability to change things with our view of winning a trophy.”
Nevertheless a few new faces through the door would be welcomed on Tyneside, though there may be a refreshed sense of optimism if Newcastle are to surpass Brentford on Wednesday evening and reach the Carabao Cup semi-final.
It’s Newcastle’s second big chance of the Howe era for silverware – which has been historically allusive for the Toon – after the ill-fated final of 2022/23, and could in turn prove the driving factor to keep some of our key men on side.
