Eddie Howe sounds Newcastle transfer window warning

Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle will not be as active in the summer transfer window as some might expect due to 'financial restrictions'.

The Magpies spent big in January to help stave off the threat of Premier League relegation, recruiting Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn on permanent deals for a combined £90m, as well as bringing in Matt Targett on loan.

Newcastle had been keen on making even more additions, but negotiations were unsuccessful for the likes of Sven Botman, Diego Carlos and Hugo Ekitike.

90min recently confirmed that the club have set a £100m transfer budget for this summer, but Howe - speaking in his pre-match press conference before Newcastle's Premier League meeting with Leicester City on Sunday - says he is not planning on making wholesale changes to his squad - adding that he couldn't anyway even if he wanted to.

“I’m happy with the squad while acknowledging that time never stands still and you have to look to continually improve and evolve,“ Howe said. “I’ve got no problem with looking outwards and saying ‘Right, we need certain things’.

“But I don’t think it will be the revolution that everyone thinks it will be, and it can’t be because we’re under financial restrictions.

“It’s not just a case of signing anybody — that will never be my way of working because it’s got to be someone who fits in the structure of the team and makes the team better, not just a very good individual. I don’t think it will be a case of wholesale changes.”

Listen now to 90min's brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders &Graeme Bailey. On this week's show Sean Walsh joins the panel to talk Christian Eriksen, while there's also discussion on Man Utd's interest in Darwin Nunez. Subscribe on all your major podcast stores.

Since that winter investment, Newcastle have turned their season around. When Howe arrived, they were marooned in the relegation mire, but an eight-game unbeaten run in January and February has moved them well clear of the drop zone.

Their form has tailed off of late but they remain 10 points clear on 18th-placed Burnley, who parted company with manager Sean Dyche on Good Friday.

For more from Matt O’Connor-Simpson, follow him on Twitter