Jonjo Shelvey makes telling admission about Newcastle signings after McClaren's 'bomb' claim

Jonjo Shelvey has admitted that Newcastle United players needed the 'uncertainty' that the club's new signings have brought as the old guard fight for their futures.

Newcastle's owners spent more than £90m on Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and loan signing Matt Targett in their first window in charge.

Eddie Howe had to create space to accommodate the quintet and, following Jeff Hendrick and Freddie Woodman's deadline day loan exits, Jamal Lewis, Ciaran Clark and the injured Isaac Hayden were left out of the Magpies' 25-man squad for the second half of the season.

Former Newcastle boss Steve McClaren likened such an overhaul to 'throwing a bomb' in the dressing room because it is a 'cattle prod' for the club's established players.

Shelvey certainly sees it that way after Joe Willock was previously Newcastle's only signing in 2021 as a whole.

"At any club, when you get new signings, it gives the players a lift and it creates that bit of uncertainty in terms of you don't know where you're going to be playing and stuff like that so it's good," he told NUFC TV.

"It keeps the competition. It's probably what we needed to be honest with you. They've all bedded in well so we look forward to it.

"They're very shrewd signings. A lot of them who have come in know the league so I think that will help and, hopefully, we can just build on that. I'm sure they'll hit the ground running and we'll be fine."