Eddie Howe has been assured that he will get at least two more new signings before deadline day at Newcastle United after high level talks. The head coach, who will face the media on Friday morning ahead of the opening game against Nottingham Forest, admits that Newcastle have faced complications during the second half of the window due to inflation and agent demands. And their latest pursuit of a player in James Maddison has been the ideal example of that.
As things stand sources close to the deal have indicated to Chronicle Live that the two clubs were "apart" on their valuation of the once capped England international. Yet Howe knows that can change in a heartbeat and the last throes of the window could still see a number of changes at St James' Park.
The arrival of an attacking midfielder like Maddison and a forward to bolster competition alongside Callum Wilson and Chris Wood will also have an impact on outgoing business. Howe has handed both Matt Ritchie and Elliot Anderson key roles in pre-season so far due to the lack of incoming since the Sven Botman deal was done over a month ago.
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But a final decision on Anderson - with clubs queuing up for loan offers - is yet to be made while Ritchie's future is still also unclear until United's recruitment drive is over. Howe told Sky Sports yesterday: "It's no secret we've been looking at a couple of attacking players. "And we won't stop."
As reported by Chronicle Live earlier this week a series of executive meetings involving Amanda Staveley, Dan Ashworth and Howe took place down the corridors of power over the weekend on either side of games against Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao.
Staveley led the transfer drive in January and ensured that Newcastle snapped up Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Matt Targett while also trying to get Botman last winter. During talks this week it was made clear that the spending was not over meaning Newcastle could end the window having spent close to £200million in 2022.
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