Eddie Howe reveals he would love to bring ‘another player’ to Newcastle this summer…
Eddie Howe has warned Newcastle’s hierarchy that they still have one player light, but has been told the club need to be ‘creative’ if they want to make more signings.
The head coach was told at the start of the summer that he had a budget of £75 million to work with, if no players were sold. Allan Saint-Maximin’s £25m move to Saudi Arabia has allowed Howe to add Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento to Sandro Tonali’s early signing, but he still wants another defender.
“I’d like one more player, that’s what I personally would love, and I think we’d have the ideal depth then, but let’s wait and see,” he said.
‘From my position it is important, it is something I would like to do. But I would adapt and find a way to handle any situation if it isn’t ideal. You never get everything you ideally want.’
Newcastle are looking for central defenders and have looked at fees and availability for players such as Jean-Clair Todibo (Nice), Edmond Tapsoba (Leverkusen), Odilon Kossounou (Leverkusen), Perr Schuurs (Torino), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) and Antonio Silva (Benfica).
Eddie Howe has revealed he is looking to sign another defender before the end of the transfer window
The Newcastle boss has his eye on a number of potential targets, including Jean-Clair Todibo (left) and Edmond Tapsoba (right)
They watched Todibo for Nice at St James’ Park last weekend and we understand that while they are impressed with his ability, the mentality is questionable.
Tapsoba has been followed for quite some time and Schuurs is a former teammate of compatriot Sven Botman. The cost and structure of a deal can determine which target is most viable.
Has Howe been assured that the money is there?
“That’s a good question,” he said. “Not 100 percent because it depends on the deal and I think we might have to be creative with this last player.”
What does ‘creative’ mean?
“It means we can’t just put money on the table and buy a player,” he said. ‘With the FFP restrictions we don’t have the resources for that right now. It’s about trying to find another way instead of paying money in the here and now.’
Could that be a loan or structured payments?
‘Yes, those kinds of deals. But they are very difficult deals to close,” he said.
However, Howe will not like selling another player.
“The problem with that, when you’re talking about selling someone to bring someone in, is you have to bring in two players,” he said.
“When you sell someone with the team dynamics and balance that we have, you end up looking for two, and closing one deal in this period has been difficult enough. As I sit here now, with the information I have, I don’t think that’s a viable option.’
Howe also confirmed that players are trapped in a bonus row by a scheme during Mike Ashley’s reign at the club
Meanwhile, Howe has confirmed Mail Sport’s story that his players are mired in talks with the hierarchy over bonuses. The team has been asked to cut 40 percent on additional incentives from previous owner Mike Ashley. However, Howe expects an agreement.
“It’s nothing unusual in my experience around this time,” he said. “It is commonplace up and down the country. Yes, there have been discussions between the club and players about bonuses and we hope to come to a conclusion soon.
“I certainly hope so (it doesn’t affect players). In my opinion, the track is hard enough without additional complications. But I don’t see a problem with the players in that sense. I don’t think it’s right to paint that reflection on the players or the club. We’re trying to find a solution.’