Eddie Howe drops new Newcastle United transfer hint after 'huge' injury blows

Howe, hoping to strengthen his squad in this month’s transfer window, lost midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and defender Matt Targett to injuries last month.

Shelvey’s sidelined for up to two months, while Targett faces at least four weeks out, and United’s head coach was asked whether his squad was strong enough to compete on three fronts ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday.

“Without any injuries, yes,” said Howe, who could welcome striker Alexander Isak from a long-term injury at Hillsborough.

“With injuries, probably not. So we have two injuries at the moment, to Jonjo and Matt Targett, which are a huge blow for us, to take two quality players out of a squad that is not hugely deep in terms of numbers.

"That’s why the transfer talk is interesting from our perspective, because it’ll be injury related. With a full group, I think we’re strong enough, and have quality in every position, but you lose a few players – and suddenly that changes.”

Newcastle, taken over in late 2021 by an ambitious consortium led by Amanda Staveley, have spent more than £200million in the past two transfer windows, and the club, as it seeks to increase commercial revenues, is limited in what it can spend.

"We’ve spent money in the previous two windows,” said Howe.

“Financial Fair Play’s impacting what we can do, so I think it goes against financial fair play, and our need to improve, and I think they’re two different things.”