No mega-spend this summer for Newcastle: Eddie Howe

LONDON: Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has warned there will be no big transfer spend this summer, with Premier League Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules biting hard.

While some quarters expect the Saudi-led Magpies to splurge a Chelsea and Manchester City-like spend in the transfer market this summer, Howe admits Newcastle are working to much tighter guidelines than their top end rivals.

And Howe has revealed that without Champions League football — Newcastle finished fourth to return to the competition for the first time in 20 years — the spend in the next window would have been even less.

“We had discussions last night – those discussions did take place,” said Howe in relation to a transfer summit with the club’s ownership group.

“I don’t think a budget is ever outlined because there’s always so many variables to it, but we certainly know where we stand.

“Is the budget big? Well, when you’re sat in my shoes, it’s never as big as you want it to be. Financial Fair Play, as I always say, will impact what we do this summer. Certainly, without Champions League football, it would have been very difficult for us to have done much in the transfer market at all. The fact we have that has given us a bit of a lift.”

Howe knows he will have to strengthen if the Magpies are to fight on four fronts next season, evidenced in the club’s labored, end-of-season 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Howe said: “It was a tough game, a really tough game.

“The conditions were difficult, it was very hot, I can vouch for that from the side of the pitch. I thought we did really well first half. We were a real transitional threat and should have been ahead at half-time. We missed some really good chances, and the second half was tough. Chelsea