NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - JULY 15: Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe (C) leaves the Newcastle Airport for the Pre Season Friendly trip to the Adidas HomeGroup Training Facilities on July 15, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has launched a staunch defence of his transfer spending amid suggestions that the club’s former recruitment set-up had not been fit for purpose.
New Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell last week claimed the policy he had inherited from predecessor Dan Ashworth needed a significant overhaul at the end of a difficult summer transfer window during which he was ultimately unable to land top target Marc Guehi after being parachuted into the club in July.
However Howe, who had presided over the signings of Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes in the midst of a relegation battle before Ashworth took office and then saw Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento arrive at St James’ Park as the club’s Saudi-backed owners flexed their financial muscle, remains proud of that early work.
He said: “I’m very, very proud of every single player that we signed in that period. It is very easy to look back at any transfer window and make a judgement on the players you have signed three years down the line.
“But you have to go back to the situation when we were in those moments, in the relegation zone and trying to recruit players. That is not an easy thing to do.
“You’re also recruiting not just for the short term, but for the long term. When you look back, that work was good. Our objective was to stay in the league, so I’m not going to critique every signing, but I’m very, very proud of the body of work that we did and the players that we have now from the legacy of those transfer windows.
“We love them to bits, so I think it’s about when you’re in that moment and the decisions that you made. I think everyone can hold their heads up very high.”
Mitchell’s comments have prompted speculation that his relationship with Howe, whose nephew Andy Howe is part of the Magpies’ scouting team, had become strained despite their regular communication during the final week weeks of the transfer window.
The head coach, who takes his side to Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday still being linked with the vacant England job, played that down, but admitted the pair had not spoken since the the deadline, insisted healthy debate was essential if the club was to move forward.
