Chief executive David Hopkinson says player trading will be crucial for Newcastle, though insists any exits must only be sanctioned on the club’s terms.
There’s interest in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento ahead of the summer window, and with Newcastle looking likely to miss out on Champions League football, at least one of those stars might have to be sold.
In an ideal world, Howe obviously wouldn’t want to lose any of his best players, but admitted: “If that’s the reality, and David will know more than me on that side, then that’s the reality.
“I’ve got no issues working with the conditions that the club set. Finances dictate.
“I’ve never had an issue with that throughout my career. As long as that’s made clear to everyone on the outside and the expectations are aligned within that. I don’t think you can have expectations that warp reality.
“Everything has to be aligned for the players to enter the pitch and be in their best place, where they’re relaxed and not under undue pressure, I think that’s fundamentally important.”
Last summer turned out to be problematic for Newcastle, with the Alexander Isak saga rumbling on before the striker eventually left for Liverpool, and – on the whole – the players who have arrived struggling to make an impact.
But Howe insists Newcastle’s recruitment operation doesn’t need ripping up.
He said: “I think from my perspective, we’ve recruited players here since I’ve been here in the same way. So, although we’ve had different sporting directors, the processes haven’t changed.
“When we recruit a player, what’s fundamentally important is that me and the coaching team like that player and can see a way that we can get the very best out of him in our team. Signing a player that doesn’t fit that criteria, I think, is unhealthy.
“And the club have been really good in helping me sort of mould the squad as I want to. So I think I always say judge me by every signing that we’ve made since I’ve been here, not just by one or two that people want to sort of beat me with a stick with. Across the board, I think we’ve recruited really well. Of course, there will be question marks on certain players. I understand that comes with the territory. But I’m really proud of our recruitment. There’s got a lot of work that’s gone into it. But all the players that we’ve signed, whether it’s abroad or domestic based, have been chased and endorsed by myself.”
Newcastle head for Crystal Palace tomorrow in desperate need of a result as they look to put the Sunderland disappointment behind them and close the gap on the European places.
Missing out on Europe would have a significant financial impact on the Magpies, but Howe insists that doesn’t increase the pressure.
He said: “I’m not sure the pressure necessarily can increase, I think were under pressure regardless to perform, to win. I don’t think it’s healthy to heap more pressure on the players, they just have to play free.
“But of course, they know they are under pressure to perform and to win and I‘m under pressure to get results, so I think it’s unhealthy to look at it tat way.
“For me, we’ve just got to try to focus on being at our best against Crystal Palace and then the next game, the next game Of course, we know know the long-term target is Europe and there are financial implications if we don’t hit that.”