Eddie Howe & Paul Mitchell silence as strong claims made over £350m Newcastle United transfers

Howe has had full control over transfers since his arrival in November 2021, bringing in the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Harvey Barnes. However, with close allies Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi gone, and Mitchell joining as sporting director, major changes are set to take place in regards to recruitment.

Newcastle have spent over £350million on new signings since the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia became owners, however lack of players sales during that time almost saw the club breach Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), forcing them to offload promising young duo Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson before the accounting deadline on June 30.

That led Mitchell to question the strategy prior to his appointment, asking: “Is it fit for purpose in the modern game, with the modern challenges?” He added: “Should our scouting and recruitment be driven more extensively with a wider reaching net? It definitely should be because this is becoming a really nuanced space now, when you just can't capitally fund everything every year and buying loads of players at peak age and peak price.”

Responding to Mitchell’s comments, Howe replied: “I think a few things on that. I’m very, very proud of every single player that we signed in that period. It is very easy to look back at any transfer window and make a judgement on the players you have signed three years down the line. But you have to go back to the situation when we were in those moments, in the relegation zone and trying to recruit players. That is not an easy thing to do. You’re also recruiting not just for the short term, but for the long term.

“When you look back, that work was good. Our objective was to stay in the league, so I’m not going to critique every signing, but I’m very, very proud of the body of work that we did and the players that we have now from the legacy of those transfer windows. We love them to bits. So I think it’s about when you’re in that moment and the decisions that you made. I think everyone can hold their heads up very high.

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 'Those signings, obviously I played a huge part in, and I took ownership of all those signings. I said that even if they're good or bad, I will take ownership of that because, ultimately, I was always the final decision-maker on those signings, and I was very proud to sign those players.

'I think they have been brilliant signings for the where we were and the long-term future of the club, and I really believe in them and I still do. You've asked me a question and I'll always try and answer it if I can openly and honestly. I'd certainly like to find a few more of them if I could.'

“I think that is for Paul to answer,” added Howe when asked about the scouting network. “I don’t think I can answer for him. The scouting structure was there, and whatever you think about the structures I thought the results were very good.”

When pressed on Mitchell's claims that he only played a 'supporting role' during the summer transfer window, where United failed to sign number one target Marc Guehi, after arriving in early July, Howe said: “I don't think it's right for me to make individual comments in reply to Paul's press conference. I don't think that will help our current situation. It's best for me to focus on the future.”

Howe then revealed he hasn’t spoken to Mitchell since he addressed the media at a 90-minute sit-down at St James’ Park last week. “No, I've had no contact from Paul,' he said. “But I don't think that's unusual. We've got different jobs to do. I'm focusing on the football and the team, and he's obviously focusing on his role.”

Tensions are high between the scenes, some of whom have described as a “civil war” but Howe said: “The civil war stuff, absolutely not, in my experience. But I am cocooned in my work and absolutely focused on the players and the training, and I know you might be bored of that answer but it is what I do every single day that I am here.”

The view of a ‘healthy conflict’ as Mitchell said is shared by Howe, who expressed the need for a collaboration.

He said: "Yes, of course. You have to give your opinion as that's what you are paid to do. If you believe in fighting for something that is for the long term benefit of the club I will always do that. But it has to be collaboration, that's the key thing, giving your views together for the best thing for the football club. It cannot be about one person's view, it can't be one person dictating what happens. It has to be collaborative, it has to be everyone coming together for the best interests of the football club.