Where Newcastle United will finish in the Premier League in 22/23 - according to this ex-Liverpool star

Former Newcastle United midfielder Dietmar Hamann has tipped his former club to break into the top eight of the Premier League this season.

Eddie Howe’s side reported back for pre-season on Friday morning as preparations for 2022/23 campaign get underway.

Included in the Magpies ranks was the likes of Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Targett following his permanent arrival from Aston Villa.

Missing, however, was summer recruits Nick Pope and Sven Botman, as well as Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar and Miguel Almiron, who have been afforded extra time off after international duty.

With three summer signings sealed so far - and more to follow - optimism is high on Tyneside, with supporters and pundits having their own views on where Howe’s men should finish in the top-flight next season.

That includes Hamann, who made 31 appearances for Newcastle during the 1998-99 season before joining Liverpool. He believes United will record a top eight finish.

He told Genting Casino:“Nick Pope is a very good signing, but if I was Eddie Howe I wouldn’t have looked at strengthening the goalkeeping department.

“Matt Targett is a good signing and there’s probably two or three more coming. There’s a lot of names floating around and we shouldn’t forget that they finished in the top five or six in the second half of the season last year.

“I think Newcastle will finish in the top eight. Whether they can finish higher than that all depends on who else they bring in during the next few weeks.”