Newcastle: Howe 'key' to bringing £120m trio to St James' Park

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is the driving force behind the club’s interest in Kalvin Phillips, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Tarkowski, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

All three players have been heavily linked with the Magpies, who seem keen on building an English core at St James’ Park.

Reports suggest that Newcastle are interested in signing Phillips, Calvert-Lewin and Tarkowski this summer.

According to Football Insider, the Tyneside club, alongside Aston Villa, are currently leading the race for Phillips’ signature.

Elsewhere, The Telegraph has claimed that Newcastle are also planning to make a bid for Calvert-Lewin, while the Daily Mirror states that they are poised to land Tarkowski.

As per Transfermarkt, Phillips, Calvert-Lewin and Tarkowski have a combined value of £102.6m, while the Daily Mail claims that the first and second of that trio could cost £60m each.

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Taylor has told GIVEMESPORT that Howe is a key factor in the club’s interest in the English trio.

Speaking to GMS about the links to Phillips, Calvert-Lewin and Tarkowski, the Daily Express journalist said: “I think Eddie Howe is a key factor behind that. The signings he brought in in January, I know [Bruno] Guimaraes has obviously been a key figure, but Dan Burn and Matt Targett are established Premier League players, and Newcastle have really reaped the rewards of that familiarity with the league.”

Newcastle and PIF’s transfer strategy certainly does look to be based around signing English players from the Premier League, with transfer insider Dean Jones recently telling GMS that the Magpies want a British core.

As Taylor touched on,