Eddie Howe's "business logic" admission as Newcastle prepare to sell in January
EDDIE HOWE has admitted “business logic” will supersede “football logic” in this month’s transfer window, even if that means Newcastle United having to make decisions they would preferably avoid.
Last summer, the Magpies were forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh against their wishes in order to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability regulations, and the club is understood to be in a position where any purchases this month would have to be at least partially offset by sales ahead of June’s accountancy deadline.
The need to balance the books is at the forefront of Newcastle’s thinking, and while the likes of Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon are regarded as untouchable, that could mean sales are sanctioned elsewhere in the squad.
There have been strong suggestions from the Middle East that Martin Dubrvaka could play his final game for Newcastle in tomorrow’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Arsenal, with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab having been on the table for quite some time.
Miguel Almiron continues to be heavily linked with MLS side Charlotte FC, while Sean Longstaff is the subject of ongoing interest from within the Premier League, and at the moment, January sales look much more likely than any significant additions this month.
“I think the business logic is taking over from the football logic,” admitted Howe. “I think that will be the way not just for us, but for lots of clubs because there may be football decisions you'd like to make (but can’t).
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“Nothing, I think, will be bigger than the previous summer, when had to lose two highly-promising young players. We were forced to, we had no choice. That was very much the business taking over the football, and I think we’re still in that position to a degree.”
Howe has consistently played down the prospect of Newcastle making senior additions this month, and while the transfer window has only been open for less than a week, the head coach has seen nothing so far to make him alter his thinking.
“I'm not on the frontline, so I’m not necessarily speaking to agents and getting the interactions and the feeling that other people at the club would, that would have a far better understanding of that,” said Howe. “But yeah, I don't think it's taking too many turns away from what I thought the reality would be.
“That's not to say that anything is cut and dried because the transfer market is unpredictable. It might just take one big move somewhere that will set a chain reaction off. We're ready for anything and ready to be flexible.”
Howe was asked directly about Dubravka’s future, but refused to be drawn on any specifics regarding the goalkeeper’s situation ahead of the Arsenal game.
“We’re just concentrating on the game,” he said. “It was a massive game against Tottenham, and now it’s a massive game against Arsenal. There’s no talk of anything else, other than the matches.”
