'A crossroads moment' - Gary Neville hands transfer warning to Newcastle United

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has warned Newcastle United they are at a ‘crossroads moment’ after an underwhelming end to the summer transfer window.

The Magpies made four new additions to Eddie Howe’s squad over the summer after Sheffield United forward William Osula, Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and goalkeeping duo Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy both moved to Tyneside. A £28m permanent deal for Chelsea youngster Lewis Hall was also secured after the boyhood Magpies supporter spent last season on loan at St James Park. However, the close-season was also dominated by United’s ongoing battle with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations as the Magpies hierarchy looked to see off the threat of potential points deduction that could have surpassed those imposed on Nottingham Forest and Everton over the last 12 months.

Young winger Yankuba Minteh and academy product Elliot Anderson were both sold during an uncomfortable summer as United raked in around £65m from their respective sales to Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest. That preceded a painstaking attempt to secure a deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi as Newcastle looked to boost their defensive options right up until the final days of the summer transfer window. However, the Eagles resisted four separate bids for the England star and Newcastle’s summer trading came to a low-key end after some late interest in Forest winger Anthony Elanga was also rebuffed by their Premier League rivals.

By Eddie Howe’s own admission, Newcastle have not enjoyed the summer they anticipated as they looked to move on from missing out on European football by the narrowest of margins last season - and Sky Sports pundit Neville believes a ‘very challenging moment’ lies in wait for the Magpies as they consider their next moves ahead of the January transfer window

Speaking as part of Sky Sports coverage of Sunday’s home game with Spurs, the former England full-back said: ”I think what they've actually done in that first couple of years is build a really good foundation and they've been measured. I think we've all, to be fair, said that they've gone really well. We expected them to come in and be flamboyant, maybe a little bit eccentric. We've seen what Chelsea have done with all that money. Newcastle have been measured and I think they've done a really good job. I think just listening to Eddie there in his interview, I would suggest that he feels disappointed by what's happened in the last few months.

“To be honest with you, I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to work out he should be disappointed. They should have got better players in for them having lost the players that they've lost. I think now it's on that crossroads moment that was always going to come a couple of years in. What do you do next? How do you then take it on to that next level? How do you support Eddie Howe to get to where he needs to get to? It's a very challenging moment that we're about to embark upon?"