Eddie Howe sends message to Newcastle United players ahead of January transfer speculation

Eddie Howe has urged his Newcastle United players to shut out the noise from the January transfer window.

The Magpies have been linked with a number of high-profile players ahead of next month - and that is bound to increase when the market opens.

Howe told the United squad to focus on their own performances when asked if the speculation would affect those inside his dressing room.

‘Just concentrate on your own performance’

Howe said: “I don’t follow it but people have told me snippets. I’ve probably heard 1% of what’s being said.

“Because there’s so much speculation, I’d like to think the players don’t give it any credibility. That would be my thought process If I’m them because if we’re going to sign everyone we’ve been linked with, I think we’d have a squad of about 1,000 players so there has to be some kind of realism to go ‘well that’s not true’.

“If you’re looking at it too in-depth as a player, it’s not going to do you any good anyway.

“Just concentrate on your own performances and your own future and you’ll be fine because you can’t control what the club does in the transfer market, and nor should you so get your own performances right and everything takes care of itself. That would be my message to the players.”