- Mail Sport understands that Almirón's departure means that the Club will not have to sell stars
- Howe admitted it was “not ideal” not being able to replace outgoing players.
- LISTEN NOW: It's all starting! Is Everton where they deserve to be or are the club's fans deceived?
Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle will have to endure “short-term pain” by losing players and not replacing them this month.
Mail Sport understands Miguel Almirón's expected £10m departure to Atlanta United means the club will now not be forced to sell stars against their wishes before the June PSR deadline, as they were last summer with Elliot Anderson.
Supporters have wondered where the £50m Newcastle were prepared to spend on Marc Guehi in August has gone, especially as they last signed a first-team player in 2023.
But Howe said: “It's not as clear as everyone thinks, there isn't a ton of money waiting to be spent.” It's all about June 30 and making sure you meet it before then. If you spend money, you'll have to get it back later.'
Howe, however, says he understands the situation and that he and sporting director Paul Mitchell are aligned, although he would always prefer the outgoing players to be replaced.
“It's not ideal,” he said. But I don't think it's ideal from anyone's point of view. For our part we do not want to lose players. But we know that PSR and the ongoing management of that situation are a reality. “So sometimes we make decisions not based on football, but on decisions that we potentially have to make for the future.”
Eddie Howe warned Newcastle will have to endure some 'short-term pain' with player sales
Miguel Almirón's expected £10m exit should stop Newcastle from selling stars
Howe was put to it that making decisions for today (buying new players this month) will take care of tomorrow's finances, if it proves the difference between qualifying for the Champions League or not.
“I get the point and it's valid,” he said. 'But when you have the bigger picture, it can look very different. We have to make decisions together. And that's the key, it's not one person telling me, “That's what we're going to do.” There might come a time when that is the case if I don't disagree enough about something. But then I have to give a logical answer as to what the solution is, if I say that.
'We have to work together to make the right decisions, for the here and now and for the future. We will try to do it together and that is the best way, with teamwork and consultation. But I'll make this clear: no one wants to lose any player from our current roster, especially in positions where we're a little fragile. Why would we want to leave ourselves in that position? But when you have all the facts, sometimes you have to endure that short-term pain.”
He added: “If you can't control it, but you know it's for the benefit of the club, then, although you don't necessarily have to support it, you can't block things.” You can't be too clever because this is about the long-term financial future of the football club. “You have to make smart decisions, sometimes decisions that you know will affect the team in the short term, but you have to endure that pain.”
Does that pain prepare the club for an excellent summer in the transfer market?
“I don't know if this summer will be different and suddenly the landscape will completely change,” Howe said. 'I think that's for another day. What I would say is that, hopefully, the future beyond looks very different. It's hard to say if I'm here to enjoy that future, as a football coach!'