Eddie Howe vowed yesterday to not stop until a couple of attacking players are added to his squad. He made a sobering admission that the number of targets is now quite small.
Here is some of what Howe told Sky Sports on Tuesday:
“The pool of players we are looking at is actually quite small. It’s not a huge amount of names. That’s why the deals become difficult.”
The shortlist could be shrinking by the day as other clubs continue to siphon from Newcastle’s pool of targets. There are reports today on three of our targets that could be a cause for concern.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that interest in RB Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko is increasing. Manchester United are contemplating a push to land the promising striker, who has been compared to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, due to his size and pace.
Key days for Benjamin Šeško’s future with contacts ongoing. Manchester United know they have to be fast on this deal, after meeting with agent days ago. ??? #MUFC
There are 2 more clubs in the race.
Šeško will make a decision soon with his agent and family. pic.twitter.com/c0aHN74c9y
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 3, 2022
Newcastle have yet to make a concerted push for Sesko. Though after his agent’s antics on Tyneside last month, local journalists confirmed the Slovenian was on our shortlist. Like many of our other targets, his price tag could be too lofty this summer.
Another striker whose price tag kept Newcastle at bay earlier in the window is Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Widely considered Howe’s preferred striker entering the summer, Everton’s valuation made bidding a pointless endeavor.
There were claims Newcastle would wait to make an offer until later in the window and see if Calvert-Lewin’s head was turned. However, that option may have been taken off the table with the news the striker has suffered yet another injury.
The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe is reporting Calvert-Lewin is in doubt for Everton’s season opener against Chelsea this weekend. From the tone of his article, it could be another significant injury for the 25-year-old.
Accurate detail on the severity of this is scarce on this & with what happened last season everyone around #Dominic Calvert-Lewin is being v protective and guarded but it’s worrying news for #Everton https://t.co/KopdxzlMMv
— Greg O'Keeffe (@GregOK) August 3, 2022
One target that seems like a straightforward proposition is Burnley’s Maxwel Cornet. Talks have been held on a structured deal that would surpass his £17.5m release clause. However, Newcastle went for Leicester’s James Maddison over the weekend.
West Ham are now leading the chase for the 25-year-old. With Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic now off the table as Juventus try to land the Serbian international, the Hammers have turned their attention to Cornet. Though they are also in the process of snapping up Lille’s excellent young midfielder Amadou Onana.
As just discussed on @talkSPORT #WHUFC are in for Maxwel Cornet after failing to agree deal for Kostic. Believe they are looking at a permanent deal. https://t.co/r2OScgCmNC
— Alex Crook ????? (@alex_crook) August 3, 2022
Newcastle could have some targets who haven’t hit the headlines just yet. The bid for Maddison came straight out of the blue over the weekend. Hopefully, the pool is a bit larger than Howe is letting on with some unknown gems waiting to be snapped up.
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257 comments so far
Assassins Inc
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:06 PM
Comment #1Hi.
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:07 PM
Comment #2ROM your number one, and always will be.
Romford mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:07 PM
Comment #3Carltoon
Number one Know nowt 😉
Assassins Inc
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:08 PM
Comment #4Had to get one this week.
On players coming in, not one player coming in guarantees us anything, doesn’t matter if it was Salah and Messi, adding players gives us a chance of improving our status in the league.
For myself, I just don’t want to be near the relegation are this season.
Romford mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:08 PM
Comment #5#1
Maybe later 🙂
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:08 PM
Comment #6Assassin sorry didn’t mean you aren’t !
Assassins Inc
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:10 PM
Comment #7Carltoon, lol, all good, don’t really go for the number one spot often, but if Roms is sleeping I’ll take it.
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:15 PM
Comment #8Assassin! That’s exactly right. Plus we’ve really got no say in anything that goes on in negotiations, we’re here to get behind the team.
The owners have got most things right, and doing a great job.
I don’t mind reading what’s going on, taking it with a pinch of salt, it fills the void before the season starts,
Let’s hope we get a good result, because the alternative isn’t going to be pleasant, I just hope the fans will give this team and Eddie a chance.
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #9C’mon ROM time to stick your neck out mate, how you seeing the season ahead?
Great White Hunter
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:17 PM
Comment #10My pennies worth regarding Maddison…… can’t stand the bloke, arrogant, bit of a cheat, to big for his boots, attitude issues, maybe that’s why Southgate does not rate him, IMO. Still probably worth £50 million in today’s market, but sorry not for me. I,m quite surprised Howe & Co fancy,s him…….. maybe they know a hell of a lot more about him than me, sorry but I,d prefer Paqueta, that’s if he wanted to come ! Like a lot of fans on here, if, we signed him, I would support him not necessarily love him as a favourite playerthough. Cheers
Davas
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:17 PM
Comment #11That Eddie Howe is a know nowt. Does he not read the papers or twitter. Small pool of targets? Pfft. 😀
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:18 PM
Comment #12Assassin, 😀
Romford mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:19 PM
Comment #13Bob
I’m going with my prediction in martoons game mate, 8th with current squad but if we get a couple more attacking players in maybe 6th or 7th ? But definitely top ten bud ! 🙂
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:20 PM
Comment #14Davas! Ha ha, it’s a good job he doesn’t read anything in the media.
Romford mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #15Or on here 😆
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:22 PM
Comment #16I left a nice positive post on the previous page, not going to repost it, can’t be arsed.
Think the wine I had last night still in the system. 😉
Was a bit disappointed the place I went for dinner offers a very nice 1er cru Chablis which is gorgeous if chilled enough. Arrived, went straight to bar to ask for a bottle to be put on ice immediately and they’d ran out of stock, I was mortified. Anyway settled for a very pleasant New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which went down well and saved me £20. 😀
The Prince's Mate
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:22 PM
Comment #17I admire our team for wanting to stick to their guns re staying within budget but it looks as if the rest of the league coudnt give a toss
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #18Can’t win, the Mrs has me spending the £20 on a Chinese take away tonight – bugger! 😆
Romford mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #19Oops
#13
IMO 😉
hibbit
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #20Team harmony is a big plus for any team,
but it’s GOALS that win games,
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:26 PM
Comment #21Rom, I think I predicted 5th, but I assumed a couple of decent attacking additions, so fingers crossed. 😉
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:27 PM
Comment #22GWH! I think a lot of fans feel like about Maddison, he’s an established PL player, I think that’s what EH sees, I much prefer Paqueta, although I’ve only seen clips of him on you tube.
lochinvar
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:28 PM
Comment #23Our boys are playing a flanker.
All these leaked stories about Maddison, Calvin Lewis and Cornet are designed to drive the likes of ManU and West Ham into panicking and paying over the odds for players they don’t need and who don’t want to play for them while deflecting attention away from our real targets.
The Higgenbottom twins from no 23 Arcadia Avenue, Accrington.
Arthur plays right wing and likes pigeons.
His younger brother (by 20 minutes) Ramsay plays Centre Forward but can’t do Sundays as he’s at Chapel then.
Sorted.
Aw bugger, I’ve given the game away.
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:30 PM
Comment #24Feel like that about Maddison *
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:32 PM
Comment #25Hibbit, I genuinely expect us to score more than for a long time and importantly let far fewer in at the other end. Collectively that will increase the points accumulated quite dramatically.
I remember all the discussions on here at start of last season + whole of previous, picking on certain games and saying “if that didn’t happen, we’d have x points more and be so far up the table” – well this year, there’ll be less mistakes, more positive play and more goals. Looking forward to it. 🙂
carltoon
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:33 PM
Comment #26Would love to know who the small pool of attacking players are, that EH was saying they are working from, and are the same names that’s on everyones dream team. We shall see.
hibbit
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:35 PM
Comment #27I see Maddison as a Craig Bellamy type of player, would love him here
cleveleysbob
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:37 PM
Comment #28I vote for the Higgenbottom twins, sounds just the job. 😉
Zhongguo Geordie
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:39 PM
Comment #29We haven’t really got a solid goalscorer if Wilson goes out, which is why I’m keen on Maddison who averages about 8 a year.
Joelinton, Shelvey, Longstaff Almiron, Fraser, Murphy don’t get many. Bruno and Maxi are ok for goals, but neither prolific. Then there’s Willock who can score, but might not be playing regular.
We’re relying on Wilson who is good, but got a bit lucky last season with half his shots going in, similar to Willock previously.
Mund
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:39 PM
Comment #30check/Bob
Exactly that lads!
Many are not adding in the Eddie Howe effect when doing their calculations which as you both know is priceless. What Eddie has brought with his team and backed up by the greatest owners a fan could dream of and since then added top professionals in different roles throughout the club and not to forget Ashworth who will play a huge role.
All these new additions in the back room will help Eddie achieve his goals a lot easier.
If Eddie can get a squad playing top 4 form with the squad we had then he can work wonders this year and I believe we will surprise a lot.
We will have one of the best entertaining sides in the league.
ShaytoStay
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:42 PM
Comment #31Calvert lewis out for 3 months, feel for the player but glad we didn’t go for him. Sesko is a risk but as he is young he fits nicely into our team.
Also on a positive note Everton don’t have any recognised striker. Lampard has got his work cut out for him
CLINT FLICK
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:42 PM
Comment #32Hibbit
Bellamy’s faux pas’ were all about passion and his lack of ability to hold that down.
Maddison is all about gamesmanship.
Much more worked out/deliberate.
CLINT FLICK
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:44 PM
Comment #33DCL
Swerved some crap, there!
Unless it’s just a ruse by everton so as not to get any bites?
Lowers his price, considerably.
ToonDarnSarf
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:45 PM
Comment #34It’s BS regarding DCL unless he’s developed a weakness recently. Before last season, his record in the previous 3 seasons was 33, 36, 35, and 31 games played. He might just be unlucky in the last year or so.
Look here: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dominic-calvert-lewin/verletzungen/spieler/306024 and this is not a terrible injury history.
NY Mag
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:45 PM
Comment #35Carltoon,
I’m between meetings, so don’t have long.
I have to say, I have nowt against George caulkin.
He says (quite a lot) that he followed Bobby Robson in his school days. Which means he is specifically stating he went to Langley park infant school.
He’s the same age as me, there was one class in that school for that age group, I can categorically say that George caulkin was NOT at school with me…..so, I would challenge that he is telling porkies.
It’s a small thing, but credibility is based on details 🙂
CLINT FLICK
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:47 PM
Comment #36Mund
Exactly.
The pundits don’t see Eddie as ‘all that’. They’re judging him on tiny budget, tiny club abfc. They’re stuck in their assessment. Dead heads.
They just see money spent.
That’s all they respond to.
Boring scum. That’s why i ignore their lamebrain BS.
Mund
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:49 PM
Comment #37Clint
Suits me fine mate 😉 he will quietly creep up and show the footballing world what we already know 😎
The man is destined for greatness
CLINT FLICK
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:51 PM
Comment #38Mund
Totally as i feel, mate.
It’s cool that it’s still possible, huh?
😀
Mund
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:54 PM
Comment #39Clint
Everyday is a good day 🙂
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Aug 3, 2022 at 3:54 PM
Comment #40Not to piss on anyone’s chips but I personally think anyone expecting us to pick up where we left off at the end of last season is going to be left a little disappointed.
We rode our luck at times and outperformed our underlying stats (by considerably distances in some respects) which by any reckoning simply isn’t a sustainable plan going forward. Could lightning strike twice and we get off to a flyer and all the pieces come together in exactly the same fashion? Possibly but improbably.
That being said I expect us to make progress all over the park. From the amount to possession we have, to the amount of goals we concede, chances we create and goals we score. If (and when) we improve on the fundamentals, then the results will naturally follow. If we do all of that, and some of the bigger teams underperform, and we stay relatively injury-free and the SJP magic atmosphere roars us on, could we go above and beyond my boring, pragmatic expectations? Absolutely!
Either way, I am certain we will play an exciting, fun-to-watch, edge-of-your-seat style football this season and I am looking forward to it nonetheless.