Newcastle United set for 'world-class' boost this month as Eddie Howe confirms plan

Following next Friday’s Premier League fixture at Nottingham Forest (8pm kick-off), Newcastle have a 15 day break without a match before they host Manchester United at St James’ Park on April 2 (4:30pm kick-off). Several members of the Newcastle squad will join up with their respective nations on international duty during that time.

But the rest of the squad will be travelling to Dubai for a warm weather training camp at the state-of-the-art at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex. Newcastle spent time in Dubai at the same complex during the Spring international break last season.

And this season’s trip was confirmed by Eddie Howe in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"That is the current plan,” Howe said. “We will have quite a few players away with internationals so we'll have a smaller group but that is the current plan."

The complex includes two football pitches, an athletics track, indoor facilities, a ‘world-class’ gym, strength and conditioning facilities and rehabilitation support services.

Howe has used the facilities previously while at AFC Bournemouth as well as last season with Newcastle.

Speaking while in Dubai last March, Howe said: “For me it's one of the best training arenas in the world.

"First class facilities, a world-class pitch and the facilities around the pitch are second to none. We took the boys in the altitude chamber which they really enjoyed – swimming pool, cryotherapy chambers – we utilised everything we could to help the players.

"It's nice to expose the players to [the facilities]. When you want to really push the players hard physically, you need to have the highest level of recovery equipment to utilise, and we have that here.

"The gym, the swimming pool and allowing the players to talk in a new environment does help stimulate friendships, I'm a firm believer in that.

"These periods help new friendships form and bring the group closer together so there are natural benefits which really help the team.”

After returning from Dubai last season, Newcastle were beaten 5-1 at Tottenham Hotspur before going on to win six of their final eight games to comfortably secure their Premier League status.