Eddie Howe will likely be under no illusion over the challenge facing Newcastle United this summer. It will be the head coach's third transfer window at the helm, and the remit facing the Magpies' recruitment team has undoubtedly already shifted.
Gone is the need for signings to stabilise a club once in freefall. By capitalising upon a golden opportunity to qualify for the Champions League, Newcastle must now operate in a different market after Howe himself admitted only 'elite' recruits will be considered.
Constant links to the likes of James Maddison and Dominik Szoboloszai are indicative of the calibre of targets occupying the Magpies' shortlist this summer. Newcastle find themselves competing in a smaller and more expensive market, and while Howe is right to suggest only high-level additions will now benefit his side, there is a sense the team are in need of both quality and quantity.
