'Of course' - Eddie Howe confirms two players he wants to replace at Newcastle United
Eddie Howe wants more signings at Newcastle United after a slow start to the summer transfer window.
Newcastle have made just one major signing so far this summer with Anthony Elanga joining from Nottingham Forest for £55million.
Howe was hoping to have more players through the door in time for Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Asia, which will see them face Arsenal in Singapore and Tottenham Hotspur in South Korea, as well as a match against a K-League XI.
Newcastle’s Premier League season starts at Aston Villa on August 16 but, as things stand, Howe’s first-team squad is arguably weaker now than it was at the start of the summer.
Newcastle United departures confirmed
Last week, Newcastle confirmed Sean Longstaff had completed a move to Leeds United in a deal understood to be worth up to £15million.
The move ended Longstaff’s 19-year association with the club which saw him progress through the academy to go on and make over 200 first-team appearances, scoring 16 goals.
Newcastle also recently confirmed that striker Callum Wilson would be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract. Wilson had spent the past five years at Newcastle, contributing 49 goals and leaving as the club’s third all-time leading scorer in the Premier League behind Alan Shearer and Alexander Isak.
Wilson is keen to remain in the Premier League as he is just 12 goals shy of 100 in the top flight.
While neither player was a regular in Newcastle’s side last season, Howe has admitted both players have left big holes in his squad that will need replacing.
Eddie Howe wants to replace ‘great’ duo at NUFC
While Howe is often tight-lipped on targets and even positions of players he wants to sign at Newcastle, he made it clear that a striker and a midfielder to replace Wilson and Longstaff are being looked at this summer transfer window.
When asked if he would look to replace Wilson and Longstaff, Howe replied: “Yes, of course. I think whenever you lose a player, it leaves a big hole in those two players. Not just great players, but great personalities.
“So, that's so fundamentally important to the group. We've had success for three and a half years, because we've had good players, but with very good attitudes, desperate to play for the club and be successful.
“So, whoever comes in has to tick those boxes as well.
“As I say, they're on short supply, and when they are there, other clubs want to keep them. We continue going right to the very end.”
The summer transfer window runs until 7pm on September 1. By then, Howe will be hoping to have significantly strengthened his squad with several new additions.
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Newcastle United target a midfielder and striker
Newcastle’s striker pursuit has been well documented this summer with failed attempts to sign Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Hugo Ekitike.
Brentford’s Yoane Wissa remains a player of interest, but Manchester United’s recent swoop for Bryan Mbeumo could make a deal very difficult with The Bees determined not to lose their top two scorers from last season.
Newcastle have also been credited with an interest in Coventry City midfielder Jack Rudoni as a potential replacement for Longstaff in the squad.
The Mail Online claim the 24-year-old is on a list of potential midfield options for the club this summer. The report adds that Rudoni is viewed as ‘the best player outside the Premier League’ in England.
The midfielder scored 10 goals in 50 appearances for Coventry last season following his arrival from Huddersfield Town last summer.