Erik Ten Hag makes Newcastle United claim

Eddie Howe’s side are third in the division ahead of the Boxing Day restart – and four points ahead of Ten Hag’s fifth-placed team.

Premier League survival was the aim during Mike Ashley’s time as owner, but the club’s new custodians are aiming for trophies and European football.

They have addressed more than a decade of under-investment with a £200million-plus spend in the past two transfer windows – and Howe has transformed the team’s fortunes on the pitch.

Newcastle, playing high-intensity, attacking football, are in the mix for a Champions League place this season, and Ten Hag has spoken about competition at the top of the division.

“I look at the competition around the Premier League,” Ten Hag told The Athletic. “They all have the opportunity to invest. It’s a tough competition between seven or eight clubs.

“That’s a change in circumstances when you compare with five or 10 years ago – the competition’s much tougher. Newcastle are coming, even West Ham, maybe not now in the table, but they have huge investment. Spurs definitely, and then City, Chelsea and Liverpool, I don’t need to talk about them.”

On Newcastle specifically, Ten Hag added: “They’ve done well. They did the right investments – and that’s what you have to value. Make the right environment and culture, and he (Howe) has done really well.”

Newcastle take on Real Vallecano at St James’s Park tomorrow in a friendly.