Why Eddie Howe is prepared to be ‘ruthless’ at Newcastle United this summer

Eddie Howe has admitted that some players are likely to leave Newcastle United this summer.

With further incomings expected in the summer transfer window - although Howe insisted there won’t be “wholesale changes” - members of the current squad will be forced to make way.

That was the case in January when the arrivals of Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Dan Burn saw the likes of Jamal Lewis, Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden left out of the 25-man squad.

Howe has rarely had a bad word to say about his current crop of players but admitted the time will come when he has to be “ruthless”.

Asked about selling players, the 44-year-old said: “That is never an easy thing to do but if you feel in your heart it is right for the team, then I am more than prepared to make difficult decisions. You have to.

“I evaluate the players every day, every game and you evaluate them in good times and bad times - when we win and lose because we want to build a team that is consistently successful and to do that we will have to make changes.

“Everyone, I believe, is very much aware of that. I will be ruthless when I need to be.”

Howe added: “Naturally, with every squad in the Premier League, if you asked every manager they’d be honest with you and say there’ll be some departures. That’s the natural flow of a football team.

“I don’t expect it to be huge changes for us but there will be subtle changes. That’s healthy for the squad.”