Eddie Howe urges Newcastle board to ‘move the team forward’ in the summer transfer window and insists his side cannot afford to lose Alexander Isak
Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle cannot go another transfer window without adding a first-team player – and he does not want to sell stars like Alexander Isak to make that investment possible.
The head coach was in forthright mood as he addressed the subject of Isak’s future, and he brought it back to the fact that this summer will mark two years since the club last signed a first XI player.
‘It (Isak’s future) is linked to a number of other players really – I think we have to try and keep our best players,’ said Howe. ‘I think that’s crucial to our short-term success and our long-term success. So sitting here as the manager of the football club, I’d be saying we need to keep the group together and we need to add the other way.
‘We haven’t added (to the first team) in a long time in various transfer windows, for the reasons we’ve all discussed. But we need to move the team forward – and we can’t lose our best players.’
Newcastle’s scouts are out in force and the word is they are gearing up for a busy summer, free of the PSR constraints of recent windows. They watched Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn this week and a right-winger is at the top of their wishlist.
But, for Howe, keeping the likes of Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon is just as important. Isak comes up against Erling Haaland at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and Howe was asked which striker he would rather have.
Eddie Howe has insisted that Newcastle must make some first-team signings this summer
He argued that his side must hold onto their best players if they wish for long-term success
Alexander Isak has been heavily linked with a move away from St James’ Park amid his impressive form this season, with Newcastle reportedly demanding over £100m for the striker
‘I’m sure Pep (Guardiola) would give the same answer – I love working with Alex and I wouldn’t swap him for anyone,’ said the Newcastle boss.
‘We’ve got a good relationship and he’s got a good relationship with his team-mates.
‘We’ve tried to help him by moulding our style of play to suit his game. I really respect Erling, obviously, and what he’s done in his career is unbelievable, but we really love Alex.’
Howe added: ‘Alex is very, very different to any other striker that I’ve seen or worked with.
‘He does things that aren’t like your traditional centre-forward. He’s almost a winger combined into a striker’s mentality, because his footwork and dribbling ability are so good.
‘Then you put him into the middle of the pitch and, with his pace and technical ability coming to feet, he’s sort of got the whole package linked into one. His finishing this season has been exceptional as well. He’s very unique and I’d encourage him to be that way.’
