Newcastle make ‘dramatic’ Financial Fair Play prediction after Everton bombshell

Eddie Howe has stated that financial regulations have ‘dramatically’ impacted the way clubs like Newcastle United conduct business, meaning that the market will never be ‘the same again’.

Although Newcastle spent more than £400 million in the owners’ first four transfer windows, the fifth has been significantly quieter, with Howe claiming that clubs’ reactions to Everton’s 10-point deduction for financial violations marked a “turning point.” These remarks are consistent with CEO Darren Eales’s recent assertion that the Toffees’ penalty had “focused minds.”

The figures back that assertion up in a month that Everton – for a second time – and Nottingham Forest have been charged with breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations. Top-flight clubs shelled out a record £815m a year ago but, even with six days of the window to go, it is clear they won’t come close to spending anywhere near that amount this time around. In fact, Newcastle are one of 11 teams who have yet to even make a senior signing and Radu Dragusin’s £26.5m move from Genoa to Spurs is by far the biggest deal of the month so far.

Howe said to reporters, “There’s a lot to consider.” Saying, ‘Well, we will bring a player in,’ is not a straightforward enough task because of the implications for the summer.

Here is where Financial Fair Play has made a significant internal and external shift to the way clubs conduct business. The market won’t be the same, in my opinion. Financial Fair Play will now be taken into consideration when making decisions for each club.”

Trippier is such a crucial figure for Newcastle – on and off the field – with Howe going as far to say the veteran’s team-mates ‘gain confidence when he’s with us’. Bayern made three offers, including a final £12.8m bid, but it was rather telling that Newcastle refused to budge during the Bundesliga giants’ very public pursuit.

“It’s sending an important message from the club’s perspective that, yes, with Darren’s message that he put out in the media, we’re not just going to sell anybody at any price,” he said. “We would have valuations on players and those valuations have to be met or the club won’t sell. That’s where everyone has been very strong – and that has to be the case.”

This month, Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson, and Jamaal Lascelles have all been connected to moves abroad, making Trippier far from the only player drawing interest from abroad.

PSG is keeping an eye on Bruno Guimaraes while Joelinton, who will end his current contract in July, and the team are still unable to come to an agreement on a new one. Is this month a sign of things to come, when clubs will have much greater spending power in the summer and will be attempting to lure Newcastle into selling important players?

“I don’t know what future windows will look like – it’s very difficult to predict – but this is not just us,” Howe added. “It’s every club and every club will face slightly different problems, but the same ultimate problem is you have to comply with Financial Fair Play rules, which means there will be more selling of players that maybe you don’t expect.”

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