Newcastle United’s double deadline day blow as Eddie Howe sends January transfer window message

Eddie Howe has revealed Newcastle United tried to complete “one or two” deals on deadline day before calling it quits at 7pm.

The Magpies opened talks with West Ham to sign Harrison Ashby after Emil Krafth’s ACL injury has left Kieran Trippier and Javier Manquillo as the only right-back options.

However, a deal for the Scotland under-21s international could not be reached and Howe was more than happy to settle on Matt Targett, Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak as his summer incomings, four hours before the 11pm deadline.

“We were trying right up until the end of the window but sometimes things look like they’re going to get done and for whatever reason, they don’t happen,” Howe said.

“There’s no blame attached to that, that’s the window, you’re dealing with other clubs, agents, players.

“We were actively trying to do one or two things that would have made a difference for us but as I said, it didn’t happen.”

Deals could be revisited in January

There were players keen on a summer switch to St James’ Park, namely Watford’s Joao Pedro, before Newcastle priortised a club-record move for Isak instead.

But the likes of Pedro, and other Newcastle targets, have been told by Howe to “regroup and refocus” ahead of the January transfer window.

Depending on how the first half of the campaign plays out, the Magpies may well decide to revisit some of those deals this winter.

Howe said: "I think the transfer window is unsettling for not just us behind the scenes for certainly for the players.

“I think there are a couple of players in our squad that feel the same, where potentially things might happen then it doesn’t and then they have to regroup and refocus on the club they are at and then give their best again. I don’t think any player is unique to that. It will be happening up and down the country.

“The transfer window does entertain everybody but for the players, it can be unsettling.

“I think the challenge for those players (who missed out on moves) is to refocus. The actual gap between the windows is very short. January will be here before we know it, so they just have to focus on that period now and double down on your work."

Glad the transfer window is over

But for now, Howe is pleased to see the back of the transfer window so he can put all his focus into training and his side’s upcoming matches.

“The mental energy you use is very high at this moment because you have loads of different thoughts and emotions going through your body,” Howe said.

“The transfer window is extremely busy where you’re congesting a lot of watching and analysing players in a short period of time and dealing with all the other stuff.

“I’m pleased from a coaching perspective that it’s out of the way and now it’s purely the football, the teams we’re playing against and getting the best out of the group we have.”