Eddie Howe is set to be backed with a transfer kitty capable of grappling with the Champions League group stages with Newcastle United set to avoid mistakes of the past.
Club supremo Yasir Al-Rumayyan was present at St James' Park and was impressed by the operation by Howe and his staff this season. The club will have certain restrictions due to Financial Fair Play, but Howe is eyeing five or six summer additions.
Newcastle are back in Europe for the first time since the 2012/13 season but still have existing staff on the books that experienced the rigours of extra competition. And while this will be Howe's first crack at Continental competition preparations for Europe have already been going on in the background.
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A competitive transfer kitty will be the owners' reward for Howe after reaching the Champions League a year ahead of schedule. Now the aim is to remain a side that can make an impact at the business end of the Premier League - although Howe has said himself he wants silverware as soon as possible.
Indeed, Howe has already hinted at the prospect of building "two XIs" next term as he knows the strain of Europe can affect Premier League form. A quick glance at Newcastle's last entry into the Europa League shows that the Magpies tumbled from fifth to 16th in the Premier League table, only securing top-flight survival on the penultimate weekend of the season at Queens Park Rangers.
Even during Sir Bobby Robson's time at the club, United's ill-fated 2003/04 campaign saw them crash out of Champions League at the play-off stages before going on a grueling run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. That also impacted league form and while on paper dropping from third to fifth didn't appear too bad, behind the scenes it resulted in Robson's sacking after a loss of confidence from the boardroom.
Speaking this week, after the 0-0 draw with Leicester, Howe said: "I understand the history. I said when I came to the football club understanding the history of the club and certain moments and things that have happened, you have to have an understanding of that to do the job to the best of your ability."
Howe will be armed with a competitive kitty and hopes to improve the squad in each positional department but must first decide on a clutch of departures. Newcastle will bank around £150million from Premier League prize money this term and the Champions League pot next season if they advance beyond the group stages.
Qualifying for the Champions League because means Newcastle will avoid the difficult turnaround of playing on Thursday nights in the Europa League, something that left West Ham in a relegation battle this term. Despite only having the Premier League to contend with since the Carabao Cup final, Newcastle's squad have managed to get over the line regardless of a bit of an injury crisis in the last few weeks.
Sean Longstaff, now fit again, missed key matches while Joelinton, Jamaal Lascelles, Joe Willock, Matt Ritchie and Jacob Murphy have also been regulars in the treatment room. But Howe, who faces high-level transfer meetings in the next few weeks, knows that another layer of quality will be needed to challenge on all fronts.
Newcastle have already whittled down their list in the past few days after booking their Champions League place. But the most exciting part of the summer is now ahead of them.
It is a challenge Howe and his recruitment staff are geared up for. A busy few months are expected on Tyneside.
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