Eddie Howe names five star players he wants his new club Newcastle United to sign ahead of the much anticipated January transfer window.
After weeks of speculation, the 48-year-old ex-Bournemouth boss was finally confirmed as the new head coach of the Magpies on Monday.
He has signed a contract until the summer of 2024 at St. James’ Park, and takes control of a side 19th in the Premier League – and five points from safety.
While the club’s current position is far from ideal, there is significant reason to be positive for Newcastle fans.
Ready to get to work. 👊
⚫️⚪️
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) November 8, 2021
Eddie said: “It is a great honour to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle United. It is a very proud day for me and my family.
“It is a great honour to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle United. It is a very proud day for me and my family.”Eddie Howe
“This is a wonderful opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players.
“I would like to thank the club’s owners for this opportunity and thank the club’s supporters for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together.”
Newcastle United co-owner, Amanda Staveley said: “We have been incredibly impressed by Eddie through what has been a rigorous recruitment process.
“As well as his obvious achievements with AFC Bournemouth, where he had a transformational impact, he is a passionate and dynamic coach who has clear ideas about taking this team and club forward.
“He is a great fit for what we are trying to build here. We are delighted to welcome Eddie and his staff to St. James’ Park and very much look forward to working together towards our collective ambitions.”
Following the club’s £305million takeover by a Saudi-led consortium last month, Howe is set to be handed around £50m ‘ with which to strengthen his squad in January.
It would seem a shortlist has been put together by Howe, with five targets in mind – take a look at who is there and is now going to by high up with the bookies.
Jesse Lingard
J Lingz is keen on winning a spot in England’s squad for next year’s World Cup, minutes on the pitch are huge for Lingard.
Given the depth of United’s squad in the middle of the park, it doesn’t look like he will get a firm place in the starting 11 anytime soon.
The 28-year-old would be an automatic selection in the Newcastle first-team, allowing him to push his case for a seat on the plane to Qatar.
United would reportedly be willing to do business at around £20m – which seems to be a bargain for a player of Lingard’s quality as we saw at West Ham.
Donny van de Beek
Another player who has struggled for game time at Old Trafford this season is former Ajax playmaker Van de Beek. The 24-year-old showed his exceptional talent when helping the Dutch side to the semi-finals of the 2019 Champions League and was tipped .
For reasons that remain a mystery to most, though, the player has never been given the opportunity to demonstrate that same form, starting just four Premier League games in total for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side since joining 14 months ago.
Howe surely wouldn’t make that same mistake with Van de Beek, who could do wonders for Newcastle from a creative standpoint, though a number of other Premier League sides are keen to give him game time.
United paid close to £40m to secure his services last September, but would likely accept less for a player whose time at the club hasn’t worked out as planned.
Toni Kroos
After a highly-decorated career in which he has won almost everything he’s competed for – including four Champions League trophies and a World Cup – could Kroos possibly be persuaded to swap Real Madrid for a new challenge in the north east of England?
The 31-year-old has previously stated that he would be happy to see out his career in the Spanish capital.
However, Newcastle’s new owners seem determined to test that resolve with a big-money offer with Howe seemingly having an eye on him.
Niklas Sule
It won’t be lost on Howe that he urgently needs to sort out a defensive line which has already conceded 24 goals in 11 games so far this season.
Newcastle are already believed to be in contact with representatives of giant centre-back Sule.
The 26-year-old German international has previously been tracked by European champions Chelsea, proof of how highly thought of he is around the continent.
Encouragingly for Howe, the player himself is reportedly open to the idea of a switch to St. James’ Park.
Tyrone Mings
While the new season to date hasn’t gone well for Newcastle, it’s not exactly gone much better for Aston Villa – and their captain Tyrone Mings.
Without a point in five top-flight games, Villa parted company with manager Dean Smith at the weekend and the club are now rather concerned with the current form.
Howe worked with England international Mings at Bournemouth and could look to link up with his former player once more by offering him the chance to join him at Newcastle.
Both clubs currently occupy the lower reaches of the league standings, the long-term outlook for the Magpies is undoubtedly brighter than that at Villa Park, something which might tempt Mings into a move.
Looking at the wealth of their owners, Newcastle are going to be linked with a whole host of players over the coming months. Their fans, though, would surely be delighted to see any of the five men mentioned above lining up for their side in the new year.
Newcastle are meanwhile also being linked with the likes of Juventus’ Aaron Ramsey, Atletico Madrid right-back Kieran Trippier, out of favour Man Utd player Phil Jones, Lazio keeper Thomas Strakosha.
As Eddie Howe names five star players he wants Newcastle to sign, who would you like to see them sign?
FAN REACTION TO THE APPOINTMENT:
@AngelNUFC: So happy with this, he was one of my first choices, hope he can prove all the haters wrong. He’s a very good coach, but it’s going to take a miracle to keep us up.
@robbie_philpott: Brilliant appointment. The more I read about him and watch things about him the more I’m glad it’s him taking us into the future. We really do have one of the best young coaches in the country (if not the world). All the best!! It’s gonna be exciting times for the toon!!
@LUFCFilmGeek91: I’ll say it again, superb appointment. Just what Newcastle needed, a top, top Manager wouldn’t have touched this job and Howe has got the know how to either keep them up or get them back up first attempt.
@HackedOffStu: Massive job for Eddie, all eyes will be on him and like anything these days he will have little time to make an impact. Good luck to him, hope he gets the full backing.
@toonprostars: He’s got 2 weeks to get us in shape good luck boss give you’re all take responsibility and give you’re all
@Bear_Size: Toon fans extremely pleased with this! Seems everyone else can’t grasp the fact that we’re nailed on to be relegated and can’t get someone better to come in. Howe could surprise a lot of people! We’re in no rush to be top. We just wanna be entertained
@ArchieWyldes: Couldn’t really be more suited for the job – doubt he’ll be winning them the league every year but definitely can bring them up to the top half and secure their premier status much more strongly
@chrisrumbelow1: As a Bournemouth fan, you’ve got a top quality coach, manager and someone who will buy into the club and make sure all players know the history. Ignore the idiots that comment on his spending, what he made in the market kept us going. Ake, Mings, Wilson, Ramsdale etc. Good luck
— Welsh Magpie ⚫️⚪️🏴 (@WelshMagpie1892) November 8, 2021
HERE WE GOOOpic.twitter.com/OxF2jOdaeX
— Dell 💦 7-2 (@agbnufc_) November 8, 2021
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