Eddie Howe answers £110m Liverpool transfer question amid Newcastle United ‘no ceiling’ dig

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe says Liverpool’s transfer spending is ‘none of his business’ after he refused to bite back at Jurgen Klopp’s past comments.

The German has been very vocal about United’s perceived spending power since the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia-led consortium took over in October 2021.

During last season, Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth said there was ‘no ceiling’ to the club’s ambition, which appeared to rattle Klopp.

“What can Liverpool do? We cannot act like them (Newcastle and Manchester City),” said the former Borussia Dortmund boss. “It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear, and again, you know the answer.

“There are three clubs in world football (City, PSG and Newcastle) who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want.

“I heard now that, at Newcastle, somebody (Dan Ashworth) said, ‘there is no ceiling for this club’. Yes! He is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but other clubs have ceilings.”

Fast forward to this summer and Liverpool were willing to pay £110million to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion before he opted to join Premier League rivals Chelsea instead.

Had Caicedo agreed to the Anfield move, it would have taken the Reds’ summer spend to around £206m following the arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alex Mac Allister, compared to United’s £120m.

Eddie Howe on Liverpool’s spending

When that was put to Howe, the Magpies boss replied: “I know what you want me to say!”

“The dynamic of football changes so quickly in terms of transfer fees. This time last year we were talking different levels of money and, in a year, they have jumped so high. For everybody, not just for us.

“I would never talk about another club openly, it’s nothing to do with me and none of my business what other clubs do. I can only talk about what we do.”

After missing out on Caicedo, Liverpool turned to Stuttgart’s Wataru Endo, who made his debut during last weekend’s win over AFC Bournemouth.