Eddie Howe will join his players in jetting off for an end of season break in the coming days. However, the Newcastle United boss won't be far from his phone during that fortnight away with his wife and sons as he bids to ensure his side are ready for the new campaign.
Work has already started. Newcastle have been planning for the summer window for several months now and Howe held discussions with the owners about the club's transfer budget in London on Saturday night. The Newcastle boss certainly knows where he stands before the window opens.
Although the kitty is not as big as Howe would ideally want it to be, because of Financial Fair Play restrictions, Champions League qualification has boosted the club's finances as the Newcastle boss targets 'elite' players who can actually improve this side. Newcastle face intense competition for these top-tier targets and the reality is that the club's Premier League rivals are able to offer higher wages, which Howe readily admitted made it 'hard to attract the very best players on the market'. Newcastle, clearly, are going to have to be smart once again and sell a dream - just like the black-and-whites did when they landed Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak from the continent.
