Newcastle United players will already know where they stand. Back in May, Eddie Howe sat down with them all individually for an end of season review. These open and honest conversations prepared the players for what was coming in the summer and where they lay in the pecking order.
It was during one of these chats that Howe first informed Matt Targett that he wanted to sign the left-back permanently from Aston Villa. Given how Targett was already on loan, only two changes will have to be made to the 25-man squad Howe submitted in the second half of last season as it stands.
Goalkeeper Nick Pope will either come in for Mark Gillespie or Karl Darlow, depending on who leaves, or not, while Federico Fernandez place is under threat following Sven Botman's arrival unless Howe takes the fairly unprecedented step of including five senior centre-backs plus the versatile Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett.
