'Difficult' - Eddie Howe provides update on his Newcastle United future after transfer window
Eddie Howe has played down fears he could walk away from Newcastle United in the wake a disappointing summer transfer window
Newcastle take on Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park in the Premier League this afternoon, and there is a possibility no new signings will feature in the starting XI after the window shut on Friday night.
Asides from making Lewis Hall’s loan move from Chelsea permanent, the Magpies have brought in just two outfield players in Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth and Will Osula for £15million from Sheffield United. The other two recruits are goalkeepers, John Ruddy and Odysseas Vlachodimos, neither of whom will challenge Nick Pope for the No.1 spot.
United also missed out on signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, seeing multiple bids - as high as £65m - rejected before negotiations broke down on the eve of transfer deadline day.
It all comes after there were changes at boardroom level that have impacted Howe. Close allies Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi left the club after selling their stake, with Paul Mitchell arriving as sporting director and Darren Eales, the CEO, now leading the ship.
Asked if could reassure fans he wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of Kevin Keegan and walk away from Newcastle, Howe replied: “It’s difficult to ever – and this isn’t a loaded answer, by the way – give any reassurance on anything in football, but I absolutely love being Newcastle manager, I’m very, very proud to do it. “No part of me is thinking anything other than trying to beat Tottenham and looking, hopefully, to a long reign here.”
Keegan brought an abrupt end to his second spell in charge on Tyneside in September 2008 after the club, then under the ownership of Mike Ashley, brought in Xisco and loan signing Ignacio Gonzalez against his wishes.
Howe admitted this was the most “hand-offs” transfer he’s had since being appointed as head coach in November 2021.
“You have to understand that in the majority of the other windows the whole structure of the club has been different so that is not necessarily a criticism of the structure we have now,” Howe said.
“There are different personalities and there’s a different way of working now. Yes, it probably has been the most hands off I’ve been, but that’s not necessarily a negative. It’s just a different way of working.”