I bought £138m trio for Newcastle United 'project' - now I'm facing a challenge to keep them
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Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak are just a few players who chose to join Newcastle United in 2022 because they bought into the project that was being built by Eddie Howe and the new owners. The club spent big to bring fresh faces in at St James’ Park and the results exceeded expectations with a fourth-place finish and Champions League qualification in the first full season.
18 months on and Newcastle missed out on a second successive European journey and currently sit 12th in the Premier League table - the same position the club finished in the final full season under Mike Ashley’s ownership. Newcastle’s progress since the Ashley days is significant, but the concept of the ‘project’ has slowed down and lost the degree of excitement and intrigue it possessed in previous seasons.
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Hide AdAnd now a fresh challenge emerges for Howe and the club to keep progressing forward while also keeping the faith of the players who signed for the club with big ambitions.


“Being honest [keeping hold of players and making fresh signings] would be a challenge for us,” Howe said. “Depending on the player's situation, his career objectives and his age etcetera - There is a lot that goes into it.
“Of course, if we feel we are able to develop quicker that will suit the players. But it is not just what the players needs and wants it is what we need and want. It is what the club who hold his registration and contract need and want, most importantly.
“I have had no player knock on my door saying they want to leave. I think we have a good group of players who want success and who are together.”
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Hide AdBut Howe did acknowledge that his players are well aware of the club’s circumstances and the project’s perceived ‘change in direction’.
“Players are very astute human beings,” Howe added. “I always say players feel everything at a football club. They are the most perceptive people because they are on the front line.
“They are the ones delivering for us. So whatever is going on at a football, they’re the ones absorbing it.
“Naturally, PSR has affected the club and we haven’t been able to strive and reach as quickly as we wanted to initially. That has been halted somewhat in various ways. Of course, they have felt that and been aware of that.
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Hide Ad“The challenge for me is for that not to affect performances and mood and belonging to the club. That is easier maybe in some cases than others, depending on the player’s situation. But I will say, fundamentally, when you look at the squad, they are all committed to the club and all want to do well.
“There is no other thought in the players’ minds and they know the responsibility on their shoulders. Together, hopefully, we can turn the corner.”
Newcastle have won just two of their last 11 Premier League matches and will be looking to end a run of four games without a win when they host Leicester City at St James’ Park on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
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