Here are your Newcastle United headlines for Monday, February 7:
Frank Lampard welcomes Newcastle revamp
Everton's new boss Frank Lampard was facing the media this afternoon ahead of his team's visit to St James' Park tomorrow night and said he welcomed the transformation on Tyneside.
Lampard answered questions about his own team and Newcastle United 's squad, before he was also asked what he thinks about the club's takeover and its new association with Saudi Arabia.
Lampard responded: "I haven’t focused on that. In terms of seeing a team with the history and fanbase and size of Newcastle, I welcome the fact that we’re seeing teams in this - the greatest league in the world in my opinion - that are striving to improve and their fans are excited.
"Some of my friends are Newcastle fans and they’re very excited. And I only look at it in that way.
"Eddie Howe, I’ve got a huge amount of respect for.
"So I look at it with an interest to see how they develop as a team, which they’ve already made moves to show the direction they want to go at, and stay away from the politics of it.
Watch Lampard's full pre-match press conference here.
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Bruno Guimaraes vow as he meets media
Bruno Guimaraes says he would not have accepted the challenge of signing for Newcastle United if he did not believe the club could stay in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old was asked today why he chose Newcastle, with Arsenal and Juventus also interested, and he replied: "It was definitely the project the club have."
When asked whether United could achieve survival in the Premier League, the Brazil international said: "Definitely - if not I would not have accepted to come here.
"I am happy with the squad and the manager.
"Staying up is our main objective."
Eddie Howe underlines key to beating Everton
Eddie Howe has warned his Newcastle United stars they will have to produce their "best fitness markers" to overcome Frank Lampard's Everton.
Howe watched Everton's 4-1 victory over Brentford in the FA Cup and admired the way Lampard went about his business on his managerial bow at Goodison Park.
Ahead of tomorrow night's match, Howe said of Everton's new boss Lampard: "I think he's an outstanding manager and he's got a great backroom team with him – really astute people, clever people that have gone in behind him to work with him and the players.
"I think they have a strong management team, a strong team on the pitch so – as always in every Premier League game – we're going to have to be at our very best to win.
"If you look back at the Leeds game for us, you saw the performance, the physical effort we gave – some of our best fitness markers of the season we gave in that match to win, and we're going to have to repeat that here."
Shocking Callum Wilson injury update
Eddie Howe has revealed he does not expect to see Callum Wilson until the last "few games" of the season.
The striker suffered a calf injury against Manchester United in December and has not played since.
When asked about Wilson's current condition, Howe said today: "It's been slow progress for him since the initial injury.
"He was recently on crutches, he's come off them now and is walking normally, which is a big step.
"But I don't think it's going to be short-term.
"Hopefully, he can make the last few games of the season and really help us in the key moment."
Howe said he was unsure if it was going to be April or May, and commented: "I don't know on time."
Newcastle United target Dan Ashworth quits Brighton
Newcastle United director of football target Dan Ashworth has left Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls man is heading for one of Brighton's rivals according to club supremo Paul Barber who spoke of his departure with sadness and disappointment on Monday.
Ashworth was believed to have been interviewed for the vacant position at St James' Park.
A statement said: "In line with his contractual terms, Ashworth will now begin an extended period of gardening leave, after which he will be able to take up a new position elsewhere."
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