Eddie Howe makes positive Newcastle United transfer admission as club close in double deal

While Howe remains coy on specific incomings for Newcastle despite Harvey Barnes arriving at the training ground on Thursday for a medical, he has admitted to wanting ‘a couple more players’. The Magpies squad are currently in the United States for the Premier League Summer Series.

Howe’s side will face Aston Villa in Philadelphia on Monday, July 24 (12am kick-off BST), Chelsea in Atlanta on Thursday, July 27 (1:15am kick-off BST) and Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, July 29 (12:30am kick-off BST). Joelinton has flown over to America to join up with the squad after having a visa issue resolved while Barnes is also expected to meet up with his new team-mates for the first time.

After beating Gateshead 3-2 and Rangers 2-1 in their first two pre-season matches, Newcastle will be put through their paces across the Atlantic against Premier League opposition.

“We’ve got three really tough games,” Howe admitted. “It’ll be a really good examination of us. It probably comes a little bit too early for us if we’re being honest, we’d like it a week later.

“But it’ll stand us in really good stead this season with the European games and high level. Hopefully that’ll make us ready for Aston Villa.”

Newcastle have been training early in the morning and late in the evening in order to avoid the temperatures in excess of 30°C at the training base in Atlanta. And Howe is looking to return from the United states with his squad looking fitter and stronger than when it arrived.

There’s also the potential of the squad being bolstered by a couple of new signings with Barnes set to arrive and a deal close with Southampton right-back Tino Livramento. Magpies winger Allan Saint-Maximin hasn’t made the trip ahead of an expected move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli.

“We’re very keen to bring players in,” Howe added. “We feel we need to add some freshness to the squad and add more depth.

“[Selling Saint-Maximin] doesn’t change our situation massively but this has enabled us to recruit Sandro [Tonali] and hopefully a couple more players. But who knows.”