Newcastle United heading for ‘difficult’ summer transfer window as Eddie Howe drops warning

Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle United could be facing a ‘difficult’ summer transfer window as they go in search of strengthening their current playing options. Under current Profit and Sustainability Rules, the club will have to stretch a relatively thin transfer budget unless they are able to offload players.

Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes are the two names that have been linked with a move away from the club this summer, but Howe has recently reiterated his desire to keep hold of the duo and build his team around the pair. So what does the summer window potentially hold for Newcastle United and their quest to strengthen and challenge for Champions League football again?

This season has shown the need to bulk out the squad with quality additions that don’t leave the first-team understrength when injuries hit. According to Howe, it could be a ‘difficult’ window to navigate: "It's going to be a difficult summer.” Howe admitted. 

“Not to say what positions we want to improve, because I would have my idea where I want to take the team, but there are a lot of unknown factors going into the summer so it's going to be quite difficult to prepare for what's going to happen."

Newcastle have spent heavily in their two summer transfer windows under new ownership - but the threat of points deductions for breaches of PSR constraints mean they, and lots of other teams in the top-flight, will be wary of spending too heavily this summer. Reforms to the current system could be introduced in June, however, which may impact what business they are able to do.