Newcastle United transfer strategy outlined after PSR boost & £68m double deal agreed

Mitchell has been appointed as Newcastle’s new sporting director with a major focus of his role being on player recruitment. The Magpies have already signed Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimos, John Ruddy and triggered the permanent transfer of Lewis Hall this summer - all deals agreed prior to Mitchell’s arrival.

After selling Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson for a combined fee of £68million, Newcastle have not only survived a PSR close shave but given themselves funds to strengthen the squad this summer.

And Mitchell has discussed his aim for the current transfer window as he works with head coach Eddie Howe to strengthen the first team squad.

“For me, shorter term transfer window, I always go into every transfer window thinking how we can make the team better?” Mitchell told the club website. “How can we make the team more set up to win? How can we make the team more aligned to how the coach wants to develop and grow the team over time?

“That's the challenge this window, we have some really great components and we're starting from a nice platform and sometimes that's a positive but it also comes with some negatives as well. You've got to be a little bit more micro and strategic because actually, the elements you're adding might be one or two positions, not a whole total rebuild.

“We've made the leap into this level, now it's about getting the small decisions right over time. Not making those big decisions and unstabling everything we've already built which are some really exciting foundations.”

While further additions are expected ahead of the start of the Premier League season on August 17, player departures are also anticipated. But Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales believes the club has the ability to strengthen this transfer window despite PSR restrictions.

Another defensive addition and a right winger are understood to be priorities for the club this summer. Another striker is also being considered with talks previously taking place with Everton regarding Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

“I do think we have the ability to strengthen the squad but I think this is where…I wouldn't say new era as I think it’s a little bit different,” Eales told reporters earlier this week. “I liken it to when I was out in the [United] States and we had a strict salary cap.

“In effect, FFP now has created a salary cap and what I mean by that is there is a certain maximum allowance of headroom that you can spend based on your revenues over a three-year projection and that includes things like player sales on profit and disposal so actually every decision you make has a knock-on impact.

“It is not as simple as saying ‘well you’ve got X amount so you’re going to go and spend it on one or three players’, the job now with Paul and Eddie working together is, how can we use those resources to strengthen the squad going forwards?”