‘I’d love...’ - Newcastle United transfer plans revealed after £125m boost

Newcastle have made three senior first-team signings so far this summer with Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento joining the club from AC Milan, Leicester City and Southampton respectively.

When asked if his squad is robust enough for the new season which will see the side compete in the Champions League as well as the Premier League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup, Howe responded: “Well, you never quite know. That depends on injuries to a point and suspensions and all those things. You could be sat here saying, ‘Yes, I think we have the perfect squad’ and you get five or six injuries and you go, ‘Jesus, it doesn’t look the same now’. I think it’s dependent on that.

“I’d love one more player, that’s what I’d love personally, and I think then we’d have the ideal depth at this moment with the injuries that we currently have, but let’s wait and see.”

With around £125million spent on the three new signings, Howe said there are no guarantees that the funds will be available to bring in a certain player, claiming The Magpies may have to be ‘creative’ with their next signing.

“Not 100% [assurances] because it depends on the deal,” Howe added. “I think we may have to be creative with this last player

“But it’s difficult to make that a definite because again, it depends on injuries between now and the window shutting.

“[Being creative] means we can’t just go out and slap money on the table and buy a player.

“We don’t have the resources to do that at the moment with FFP restrictions. It’s about trying to find a different way rather than paying money in the here and now.

“Yes, those types of deals [loans and structured payments]. But they are very difficult deals to do.”

When asked on what type of player he’s targeting in the final weeks of the transfer window, Howe gave little away.

“Hopefully a good one,” he smiled. “But there’s nothing close on that.

“That’s something we will need to discuss internally. It’s not a case that we’re close to doing any deal at the moment.”