Eddie Howe says Newcastle know where to improve ahead of the summer transfer window following Sunday’s Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester United.
What’s the latest Newcastle United transfer news?
While Newcastle put in a competitive performance during their first cup final appearance in a generation, the gap to the teams they are trying to compete with on a more regular basis was obvious.
Rarely did they truly threaten David De Gea’s goal and Erik ten Hag’s side had largely kept them at an arms’ length at Wembley. That is not a huge criticism of Howe’s team by any means and the fact they even got there is worth celebrating, but even the most ardent Newcastle supporter would struggle to claim they looked like winning the game.
Indeed, this is a team at the start of a project and a club who have only had three transfer windows – one of which was spent trying to avoid relegation and the other two balancing FFP concerns – to transform itself.
What has Howe said about transfer strategy?
Speaking after the game, Howe said (via The Northern Echo): “We are always analysing where we can improve and how we need to get better.
“I don’t think there will be any overreaction to this game in particular, but certainly we know how and what we need to do to push the team on.”
Where do Newcastle need to strengthen most?
Since the takeover, Newcastle have signed only one midfielder, such has been the need to revamp other areas of the squad. Having let Jonjo Shelvey go in January, options are light and perhaps a goalscoring option from the middle of the park would be a wise idea.
Firepower has been an issue of late and only Bruno Guimaraes is the only non-attacker to score more than two goals this season, putting more pressure on the forwards.
If Newcastle are going to push on, more midfield options are surely needed.
