Eddie Howe’s ‘perfect’ Newcastle United signing

Eddie Howe has named his "perfect" Newcastle United signing.

The club is looking to strengthen its squad ahead of next season, when it will be competing in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.

Newcastle were 19th in the Premier League when the club, taken over in October 2021 by a consortium led by Amanda Staveley, made its first signing under new ownership.

Howe recruited England international Kieran Trippier – who he had previously coached at Burnley – from Atletico Madrid last January in a £12million deal.

A strengthened United stayed up in 2021/22, and Howe guided the club to a fourth-placed finish this season.

Right-back Trippier, 32, was named as the club's Player of the Year.

Asked if the Trippier deal was a "benchmark" signing that needed to be repeated this summer, Howe said: “Yes. When you look back, Kieran was the perfect signing. We felt that at the time.

"We felt he would be a huge lift for us in our relegation battle, to sign someone who'd just won a domestic cup competition, someone with the experience – he's an international – we felt he'd be the perfect fit.

“Obviously, he got injured straight away, near enough, and that was a huge blow. But then, this year, he's played the majority of the season, and he's been incredible for us."

Howe, looking to recruit a "small group of players" in the summer window, admitted late in the season that finding players to strengthen his squad will be even harder this summer given the quality he already has in his squad.

“I think that type of profile (Trippier) fitted us at that moment," said United's head coach. "Those players now are harder to find, but that's our job – to try to do it."