McAvennie praises Ashworth after NUFC transfer announcements

Dan Ashworth was confirmed as Newcastle United’s Director of Football on Monday and the Magpies wasted little time completing their transfer business. Isaac Hayden joined Norwich City on a season-long loan and Matt Targett was signed permanently after impressing during his temporary stint.

Newcastle have been desperate to get Ashworth to work at St James Park and Frank McAvennie says he’s already had ‘a brilliant start’ to life in the North-East. He told Football Insider: “Ashworth has made a brilliant start by the looks of it.

“He needs to have a good working relationship with Eddie Howe. The manager has to have the final say. I’m sure those deals that have happened will have been signed off by Howe. But now he can focus on training the team instead of doing the transfers as well.”

Newcastle finished 11th in the Premier League this campaign and will spent the summer bolstering all weak areas of the squad. The Magpies need a centre-back to accompany Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, with Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez expected to be sold.

They need a replacement in midfield for Hayden, as Bruno Guimaraes isn’t as effective in the holding role. United could also benefit from signing a prolific and creative wide-man as Miguel Almiron scored just one league goal all season while Ryan Fraser and Jacob Murphy contributed eight goals and assists between them. Allan Saint-Maximin has an uncertain future too, so he might need replacing.

Howe is expected to sign a striker also as Callum Wilson has endured numerous injury problems in the last two years, Chris Wood scored just two goals in 10 games and Dwight Gayle could be sold. Ashworth has his work cut out.

In other news, Newcastle told to sign ‘fantastic’ Gini