Under Financial Fair Play rules, Howe could have a remarkable £190 million to spend, but he will not be lured into discussing budgets, or even the areas of the team he wants to strengthen.
His focus is fixed firmly on what he already has; the trouble is, he has an unbalanced squad with effective and dangerous attacking players, but lacking pace and power in the centre of midfield, a disciplined defensive midfielder, as well as reliable full-backs and centre-backs. There is also no competition or cover for centre-forward Callum Wilson.
The core of Howe’s squad is the same as the one promoted from the Championship in 2017, and who have flirted with relegation for four successive seasons, which makes the decision not to sign a single centre-back since 2018 staggering.
Not only that, but it is a dressing room where some seem to have become too comfortable, safe in the knowledge their positions are protected. The likes of Matt Ritchie, Jamaal Lascelles, Isaac Hayden, Ciaran Clark, Karl Darlow, Sean Longstaff and Dwight Gayle have most to prove to Howe, but everyone is on trial. If they do not deliver more in the next few weeks than they have so far this season, their time at Newcastle will be coming to an end.
