The new season is already upon us, and Newcastle United have long since announced the signing of one of their top targets this summer. However, there is a growing frustration in the club and among fans that Eddie Howe is yet to secure the attacking reinforcements he craves.
The Magpies' attempt to land Hugo Ekitike ended in failure for a second successive window, with the Reims wonderkid instead joining Paris Saint-Germain. Howe has bemoaned the 'elevated prices' which Newcastle have often been quoted, and the head coach admits the club are working through a 'small pool' of targets.
United's build-up to the opening-day clash with Nottingham Forest has largely been overshadowed by the public pursuit of James Maddison. As it stands, Newcastle are again weighing up their options having seen two offers for the attacking midfielder turned down by Leicester City.
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In the midst of another drawn-out negotiation, it is easy to forget Howe was able to swiftly bring in Nick Pope and Matt Target on a permanent basis earlier in the window. Newcastle also saw off competition from AC Milan to land their top defensive target in Sven Botman.
Warren Barton believes there are shades of the Kevin Keegan era on Tyneside with the current expectation levels and flurries of transfer business. The former Newcastle full-back feels it has already been another 'great' window on Tyneside, and reckons the anticipation and occasional frustration is just a product of the momentum shift at St James' Park.
He told ChronicleLive: "Straight away, as soon as the season ended they went for the ones they wanted. Botman came in, Targett did great, and obviously the goalkeeper is an England international.
"Going back to 1995, we wanted another one, and then another one. Kev would go and get Les [Ferdinand], and then Shaka [Hislop], and then [David] Ginola, and [Tino] Asprilla, we get a little bit greedy. I think we have to realise where we were 10 months ago and at the start of last season. Momentum and expectation is a big thing in the North East, and when you do have momentum I think you've got to keep building on that."
Newcastle's stunning conclusion to last season was built on defensive diligence and a relentless work ethic across the starting eleven. Concerns still linger however over the team's output in the final third, especially given top scorer Callum Wilson's injury record.
Howe has outlined his hope of landing at least one new forward to rival the former Bournemouth star and January signing Chris Wood for a starting spot. Barton reckons his former side should target a rising star, and cites a similar deal struck during his time working under a club legend as a perfect example.
The Fox Sports pundit said: "If we can add a wide player or another striker... maybe a younger one looking to prove a point. Maybe not the finished article yet, but similar to what Sir Bobby Robson did with Craig Bellamy.
"I never like mentioning names but I think we need a quick, direct forward to stretch defences and create space for our midfielders while also relieving a bit of pressure. Wood is powerful, Wilson can do a bit of both but if you had someone who can get in behind and hurt people with pace, that's an area we could definitely go with.
"Nurture them and then take the reins off and let them take the Premier League by storm. It has to be the right type of player and someone who wants to come not just for the money. I think a young powerful forward would help the team because if anything happens to Wilson, what have we got?"
Newcastle's sensational form in the second-half of last season has raised expectations over what could be achieved at St James' Park in the coming campaign. Howe will hope to build on an 11th-placed finish, while there has been outside talk as to whether the Magpies could challenge for a European spot.
Barton believes Newcastle and the head coach will be contending with a new 'pressure' that has not existed on Tyneside for some time. The 53-year-old feels that while a top-half finish is a requirement, the Premier League should not be Howe's solitary focus in the new campaign.
Barton explained: "Everyone will be out for us if we don't get the season going. With Eddie, if we draw at home or lose away, the next game is a must-win. They haven't had that expectation or pressure.
"You want that, we had that many years ago. Now it's a different ball game, the gloves are off because we're now expected to compete and that's what we've always wanted.
"I would think a good cup run and challenging in the top-half of the table is the minimum. We're talking about Newcastle, it shouldn't be just ticking along and surviving. Can we go out and compete, and can we look at a cup competition?
"If I was Eddie or his staff, that's what I'd really focus on. You get a bit of silverware up there, that's something we've all craved."
Howe has so far racked up an almost spotless record during his time with Newcastle, but the return of hope is accompanied by an inevitable rise in expectations. No longer tasked with overcoming a sizeable deficit to achieve safety, Steve Bruce's successor will be judged accordingly from a clean slate having been backed to the tune of more than £140m.
Barton is adamant it is scrutiny Howe will never have faced before during his lengthy top-flight stint with Bournemouth. However, the former defender is confident it is a challenge the head coach will 'embrace' should he wish to achieve long-term success with the club.
Barton said: "When you're manager of Newcastle, you should be under pressure. I don't know him at all, but I would think he'd want that type of pressure. At Bournemouth, you have some pressure to stay in the Premier League but this is a whole different ball game.
"We're talking about one of the richest clubs in the world, if not the richest, and it's Newcastle United that's craved success. We want to be talking about trying to win things.
"You get a couple of iffy results, some people will be out trying to get you and have a go. But at the end of the day, that's what you want and if not, you shouldn't come to Newcastle. You should thrive under that pressure and embrace it."
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