Alan Shearer hits out at Newcastle United chiefs & responds to awkward PIF claim

Lewis Hall arrived from Chelsea for an initial £28million after the performance-related criteria to turn his 2023-24 loan spell permanent was met. Hall and Lloyd Kelly, who joined on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth, are the only other summer signings to start a Premier League match this campaign.

That said, Kelly has only started three of the Magpies’ opening eight league fixtures while Will Osula, a £15million recruit from Sheffield United, has only made two substitute appearances, although did lead the line in the Carabao Cup victory at home to AFC Wimbledon. Meanwhile, John Ruddy and Odysseas Vlachodimos - signed as part of the PSR-forced agreement that saw Elliot Anderson join Nottingham Forest - are firmly behind Nick Pope and possibly even Martin Dubravka in the pecking order.

Howe’s number one transfer target was, as well documented, Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi but Paul Mitchell - appointed as sporting director in June - failed to strike an agreement with the Eagles’ price tag of £70m deemed too high.

Howe has essentially been left with the starting XI he had 12 months ago, leading Shearer to believe the club’s hierarchy have let their head coach down.

“Are Newcastle any better this season than they were 18 months ago with the transfer windows they have had behind them? I’d say probably not,” Shearer told the Rest is Football podcast. “I just feel like they haven’t backed the manager as good as they should have after what he’s achieved.

“I get PSR and the financial rules but there was money in the pot this summer.”

Co-pundit Gary Lineker then suggested PIF may have 'lost interest' as a result of the financial rules but Shearer disagreed.

“No I dont,” he said. “The turnover of personnel in the summer hasn't helped at the top of the club with Amanda [Staveley] and Mehrdad [Ghodoussi] leaving. A new director of football has come in with Dan Ashworth leaving. I just don't think that has helped at all.

"I just think they have let the manager down in the last transfer window. I don't think they have helped him at all from where they were last season to where they are now.

"I know they have certainly not been helped by serious injuries, particularly to Sven Botman, but I don't think they are a better team now with a transfer window or two behind them than they were 18 months ago and that is a slight concern."