Eddie Howe has offered a passionate defence of his transfer record as Newcastle United manager in a barbed response to criticism from new sporting director Paul Mitchell that the club’s recruitment structure was not “fit for purpose”.

Given Howe was a key part of the decision-making process that brought the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, Nick Pope, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon to St James’ Park, all of which have been a huge success, he is bound to have taken exception to Mitchell’s perceived criticism of previous incomings.

However, Howe also pointedly laughed off suggestions that there is a “civil war” at St James’ Park, insisting arguments and disagreements were healthy.

Crucially, given his comments earlier in the summer when he declared he had to feel “happy and supported” to remain as Newcastle manager, Howe also insisted he is “enjoying himself” and at his happiest when he is with his players on the training ground.

“I’m very, very proud of those signings,” Howe said when asked about recruitment since he arrived in November 2021. “I’ve said all along in press conferences that I don’t want to make it about old structure and new structure, but those signings obviously played a huge part in [our success].

“And I took ownership of all those signings. I said that, even if they’re good or bad, I will take ownership of that because ultimately I was always the final decision maker on those signings and I was very proud to sign those players.”

Coach: We signed players for long term

Howe added: “They have been brilliant signings for where we were and the long-term future of the club. I really believe in them and I still do.

“You’ve asked me a question and I’ll always try to answer it if I can, openly and honestly. I’d certainly like to find a few more of them if I could.

“When you look back, that work was good. Our objective was to stay in the league, so I’m not going to critique every signing, but I’m very, very proud of the body of work that we did and the players that we have now from the legacy of those transfer windows.

“We love them to bits. I think everyone can hold their heads up very high. We were in a relegation battle, so yes, a couple of those signings were more short term, at that moment, because you needed instant results.

“Relegation was not something we could contemplate but always in the back of my mind with every signing I tried to make it’s always about: ‘Yes, can they impact the team now, but will they impact the team in the right way in the future?’”

Pair have not discussed recruitment criticism

Asked about what he thought of Mitchell’s comments, he replied: “I think that is for Paul to answer [about what he meant by structure not being fit for purpose and overpaying for players]. I don’t think this is the time and place to do it.

“I don’t think it’s right for me to make individual comments in reply to Paul’s press conference. I don’t think that will help our situation. It’s best for me to focus on the future.”

Howe once again called for unity as he revealed he had not spoken to Mitchell for several days. “That is not unusual,” he explained. “We have different jobs to focus on. When we were speaking every day that was a transfer window thing and normal for that time of year.

“The ‘civil war’ stuff [reported in the media], absolutely not, in my experience. But I am cocooned in my work and absolutely focused on the players and the training. I know you might be bored of that answer but it is what I do every single day that I am here. I don’t focus on politics.

“The key thing now is the future and making sure we get future windows right. Because ultimately that is the most important thing at any club: for you to be successful you have to recruit well.

“No part of me looks back to the transfer window and all the stuff that you guys write about on a daily basis. I understand why, but for me, my job is always about the future and tomorrow and so, transfer-wise, it’s January.

“All those discussions haven’t taken place yet. There have been no further discussions on anything. It is about unity and it is about coming together now.”

‘You cannot have one person dictating’

Asked if he and Mitchell understood each other better and would continue to have robust conversations about the club’s future direction, Howe added: “Yes, of course. You have to give your opinion as that’s what you are paid to do. If you believe in fighting for something that is for the long-term benefit of the club, I will always do that.

“But it has to be collaboration, that’s the key thing, giving your views together for the best thing for the football club. It cannot be about one person’s view, it can’t be one person dictating what happens. It has to be collaborative, it has to be everyone coming together for the best interests of the club.

“It’s about the greater good, which is always the club and getting positive results. There’s no issue [between me and Paul]. The collaboration bit is the key thing. It’s about teamwork.”