Newcastle United could seal sixth summer signing — but only if this happens after Liverpool

Eddie Howe admits Newcastle United’s summer transfer business is likely to have been concluded following the signing of Lewis Hall from Chelsea.

The 18-year-old officially became the Magpies’ fifth summer signing on Tuesday morning. He joins on a season-long loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent for an initial £28million next summer.

Speaking before the Magpies’ 1-0 defeat at Premier League champions Manchester City last weekend, Howe revealed the arrival of Hall is expected to signal an end to any more incomings unless there are injuries within the squad.

Asked by NewcastleWorld during his pre-Liverpool press conference on Friday if that remains the case, Howe said: “It’s still the case at the moment. I think unless something happens to a couple of players in one position before the window shutting, we won’t be adding to the squad.”

When Newcastle take to the pitch against Brighton and Hove Albion in exactly seven days’ time, the summer transfer window will be officially closed.

United have spent around £130m on Yankuba Minteh, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento. They’ve needed to box cleverin order to stay within Financial Fair Play restrictions, hence why Hall is essentially a pay-later deal.

When asked if the window had been a success, Howe said: "It’s very difficult to make a sweeping statement on the window because I think you give an opinion at that point when you might feel differently a year after.

“I always think when you sign players everyone will go ‘oh what a great signing’ and they haven’t even seen him play yet. Time will always be the deciding factor in how good your recruitment has been.

“When you look back historically on some of our signings at this point - I’ll even go back to my Bournemouth days, there were some players that I’d sign and make an instant decision and go ‘he was a poor signing’ but two years later they are seen as a very good signing.

“As I feel now, I think it’s been a good window but really it’s one or two years down the line that you give a true assessment."