Newcastle United began their summer transfer window in smart fashion with the additions of a new goalkeeper and two defenders to finalise their backline, but bringing in players further up the pitch has proved much more of a challenge.
The club have insisted that they would not have an unlimited budget to spend this summer and that fans would have to be patient, although Eddie Howe has now confirmed that the Magpies have been “looking at a couple of attacking players”.
James Maddison and Timo Werner have been linked with moves to the north east of late, but the Newcastle boss has explained that having a “small pool of targets” has made things “difficult” for bringing in new signings.
Speaking to Sky Sports , Howe said: “We are still looking for one/two players that can make a difference for us. We’ll never stop until the window shuts to try and add to the group. [It’s] no secret that we’ve been looking at a couple of attacking players that can make a difference for us.
“Different profiles, you know, but as you say, until you get a deal over the line then we’ll continue to look and see what we can do. But as I’ve said, the pool of players we’re looking at is actually quite small, it’s not a huge amount of names. So that’s why the deals become difficult.”
The Magpies had originally faced a lengthy transfer saga in trying to complete a deal for striker Hugo Ekitike, before the 20-year-old opted to sign for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain this summer, despite having a bid accepted by his former club Reims.
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The Magpies had then moved onto a whole host of targets, but have either lost out to other clubs for their signatures or been priced out of a move as teams look to take advantage of their status as the richest club in the world, although Newcastle are refusing to pay over the odds for anyone.
The St. James’ Park outfit have been rebuffed in their efforts to sign players such as Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby and Leeds United’s Jack Harrison, while The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Leicester City have rejected Newcastle’s latest offer, understood to be around £45million plus £5million in add-ons, for James Maddison.
The report adds that the Foxes are reluctant to part ways with the 25-year-old unless they receive a bid of about £60 million, following on from his best campaign to date that saw him produce 18 goals and 12 assists in 53 games across all competitions to scoop Leicester’s Player of the Year award.
The Magpies are also set to lose out on Chelsea striker Timo Werner, who they were hoping to sign on a season-long loan deal with an option-to-buy next year before it was revealed that he could now be about to perform a transfer U-turn in order to rejoin former club RB Leipzig.
Howe had hoped to have at least one new striker and a winger before their 2022/23 Premier League season opener against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but with just three days to go until that St. James’ Park showdown against last season’s Championship play-off final winners, he will have to make do with what he’s already got.
Newcastle have kept hold of star player Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, while Miguel Almiron seems to have revived his career after impressing in pre-season with six goals. Callum Wilson has returned from injury up front, but £25million January transfer window signing Chris Wood is the only other option in attack heading into the opening day.
