Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle United can't afford to "stand still" in the transfer market.

The Magpies did no business last January when it was stated that outgoing deals would be more likely at St James' Park due to the PSR rule book. Howe already fears that could be the same again this year but insists Newcastle will look into the art of the possible.

Big claims from Saudi Arabia that a deal was done for Martin Dubravka to Al-Shabab emerged last night with long-term target James Trafford of Burnley again linked as a replacement. When asked about transfer business, Howe said last night: "My method is that when you go into every window, you have the mindset that you’re trying to improve the team and the squad if you can. That has to be your view, otherwise you’re going to stand still or regress.

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"But these days, it’s changed. It’s what you can do, rather than what you want to do. We’re still in the same position, where we’re looking at it and saying, ‘Are we able to do anything?’

"If we’re not, we’ll go with what we’ve got, and I always say that the players that are currently here are always the most important people."

It's why Howe has decisions to make ahead of the clash with Arsenal following a hectic Christmas period in which there has been little in the way of rotation. Kieran Trippier was unused at Spurs and could be a possible starter at the Emirates Stadium while Sean Longstaff and returning Arsenal graduate Joe Willock are relatively fresh and could replace the suspended Bruno Guimaraes.

Howe hinted: "The players are playing well at the moment, but our squad is very thin. The squad we had at Tottenham was basically everyone who is fit and available. Everyone who could play was here with us. So, we don’t have a huge array of players. But we have some very good ones."