Eddie Howe's Chelsea decision shows Newcastle boss may…

Eddie Howe's Chelsea decision shows Newcastle boss may be able to stick to transfer plan

With Champions League football secured and the season drawing to a close with a dead rubber at Stamford Bridge, changes were expected when Eddie Howe announced his final Newcastle United XI of the season.

The Magpies boss rung the changes as he made four alterations, bringing in the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Anthony Gordon from the outset. Matt Targett also filled in for Dan Burn, while Martin Dubravka was called upon to replace the injured Nick Pope.

The quartet deployed from the outset in west London may all remain at the club beyond the summer, as Howe looks to keep the bulk of his top four titans on Tyneside heading into what promises to be a gruelling campaign. None of the aforementioned foursome have been able to hold down a starting role in recent months, showing how strong Howe's selection options are at present.

Maybe this is the reason the Newcastle boss shocked a section of the fanbase last week when he insisted he only wanted 'two or three' new additions, with '95 per cent' of his current crop staying put also. "I hoped to do some things [this summer] and I don't think [making the Champions League] changes the numbers," the Newcastle boss said.

"We'll have to produce a squad for the Champions League, so top-four won't change the amount of signings. As I've said, it won't be a lot of numbers and a lot of big moves in. Hopefully it'll be the right two or three players to make us better."

While many fans would prefer a full-scale revamp inside the St James' Park dressing room with the addition of six, seven or even eight new faces by the time August rolls around, there is maybe a little more depth than initially thought within Howe's ranks.

January's FA Cup disaster at Sheffield Wednesday potentially hinted there wasn't enough of a foundation in Howe's squad but Sunday's 1-1 draw proved otherwise. Gordon, who is itching to truly kickstart his United career, finally found the net as he combined with Elliot Anderson, another who is proving he can mix it in and around the first-team. A full pre-season under Howe will do the young pair no harm ahead of a huge campaign.

Saint-Maximin was the Magpies' most dangerous outlet in west London but questions remain over his future due to the fact he is one of a few sellable assets in Newcastle's first-team squad. There are gaps to be plugged across the backline but Targett and Dubravka, along with the returning Emil Krafth, could all have a say when the new season rolls around.

Maybe Howe was right to suggest he only needs a small handful of dealings in the next few months to make this Newcastle side capable of fighting on four fronts.

Eddie Howe's Chelsea decision shows Newcastle boss may be able to stick to transfer plan

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