Newcastle United remain unlikely to strengthen their first-team squad in the final few days of the transfer window, despite selling Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguayan re-joined Atlanta United - the club he joined the Magpies from for £21million six years - in a deal worth around £10m.

“A very special player, a very special person,” said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. “He's going to be greatly missed by everyone connected with us. I think Miguel was what you saw, the perception of him was real, a very bubbly, bright personality.

“But I think behind this, he's very, very professional, like ultra professional. He'd always be in, recovering, looking after himself, eating the right foods, doing everything he could to be at his very best every day.

“And I think you can't have enough, from my perspective, you can't have enough of those players that set the right standards in terms of behaviour. I thought he was a really good role model, behaved really well.”

With Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes still sidelined, Almiron’s departure leaves Newcastle short on attacking bodies, with Jacob Murphy the only recognised right-forward option.

But Howe says it was a deal that needed to be done amid constant pressures to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

“People are negotiating behind the scenes and I think it's a deal that suits the club and suits Miguel,” said Howe. “I think it's a good time for him to get a fresh challenge and a club obviously that he knows very well, he's got a great relationship with. So I think he goes into very good hands the other way.

“But as I've said many times this month, it's a deal that we needed to do. It leaves us a little bit short in respect of that position that Miguel played and attacking areas currently, while Harvey's injured and Callum's injured. We're certainly stretched in that area, but it was a deal that we needed to do.”

Will Newcastle United sign a Miguel Almiron replacement?

Howe then played down the prospect of United signing a replacement before Monday’s 11pm deadline.

“We knew this window, barring something huge happening that we didn't expect, would be a window that we didn't recruit in,” he said. “I said that right from the outset and despite being linked with numerous players, that's still the case.

“We're not actively looking to bring players in but hopefully the squad's in a decent place if we can get Callum and Harvey back fit and firing within a few weeks, I think the squad will look good. Obviously they're not back yet and it might take a few weeks to bed them back in.”