Jonjo Shelvey has admitted that Newcastle United players needed the 'uncertainty' that the club's new signings have brought as the old guard fight for their futures.
Newcastle's owners spent more than £90m on Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and loan signing Matt Targett in their first window in charge.
Eddie Howe had to create space to accommodate the quintet and, following Jeff Hendrick and Freddie Woodman's deadline day loan exits, Jamal Lewis, Ciaran Clark and the injured Isaac Hayden were left out of the Magpies' 25-man squad for the second half of the season.