Eddie Howe fighting for Newcastle future as club faces to ward off multiple high-profile sales | OneFootball

Newcastle United are heading into one of the most turbulent transfer windows in recent years, with the club forced to sell before they can buy as they battle to balance financial rules and regulations and with the club refusing to guarantee manager Eddie Howe’s future.

The Magpies sit 12th in the table after a hugely underwhelming season, crashing out of both domestic cup competitions to Manchester City, before succumbing to an 8-3 aggregate thrashing to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Two defeats to derby rivals Sunderland, the last a 2-1 home loss to the Black Cats, going into the latest international break, has only served to crank up the pressure at Newcastle.

In light of that, the club’s chief executive, David Hopkinson, is refusing to give any guarantees over Howe‘s future, effectively giving him a seven-game audition to secure his job for next season.

“I don’t have a stance on his [Howe’s] future,” Hopkinson said during a media briefing to address the club’s financial results. “What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There’s nothing within us that thinks: ‘Well, it’s just three points and on we go.’ It has resonated.”

Hopkinson still hopes Newcastle can finish the season strongly and bring European football back to St James’ Park, admitting the club had a long chat in the aftermath of the Sunderland defeat.

“I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including Sunderland,” said Hopkinson.

“Eddie’s our manager,” he said. “I expect to have a great run to the end of the season, and we’ll talk about the future when it’s time. Right now, we’re focused on this season’s competition.”

Hopkinson’s comments tally with the update from what Graeme Bailey reported on March 23 – that the Tynesiders will assess Howe’s future at the end of the season, though with the strong understanding that they do want him to stay and with the CEO’s words hopefully serving as a wake-up call for all concerned.

Asked if Howe is fighting for his job, Hopkinson added: “I would not frame it that way. We are not looking to make a change at the moment. We are not having those conversations. We are still in the midst of our season.

“We are focused on the seven matches we have remaining and not distracting ourselves with speculation about what we may or may not do in the summer. All of us have only got so much bandwidth and we are focused on finishing this season strongly.”

Newcastle battling to prevent multiple high-profile exits

Worse yet for Newcastle, the club are looking to avert multiple high-profile departures, with Howe fighting to keep a competitive squad together.

Italy international Sandro Tonali is edging closer to the exit door. The 24-year-old midfielder, who has impressed since joining from AC Milan, is attracting serious interest from several top European clubs. Tonali is understood to be eager for regular first-team football at a side challenging for major honours and competing in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Brazil captain Bruno Guimarães remains a target for a host of clubs, with Barcelona having made concrete enquiries in recent weeks. The 27-year-old has always spoken warmly of his loyalty to Newcastle, and the club are ready to back that up by offering him a new deal.

Yet sources close to the club fear he could still be tempted if the Magpies need to raise significant funds for incoming transfers. Should he be made available, there will be solid Premier League interest.

However, TEAMtalk sources last week moved to play down claims that an agreement with Manchester United over personal terms has already been reached.

Full-back Tino Livramento is also a man in demand. Arsenal are leading the chase for the England Under-21 international, and there is growing belief in north London that the 22-year-old will be made available this summer. It’s also understood that Livramento would struggle to turn down a move to the potential EPL champions.

There are also reports growing that Liverpool or Arsenal could try and make a move to sign winger Anthony Gordon this summer. The England winger would command a very sizeable fee and would ease the financial burden, if they are forced to sell a major star.

All that uncertainty has created tension behind the scenes between Howe and the board. The head coach is desperate to build on last season’s progress and establish Newcastle as genuine challengers, but repeated sales of key players and promising young talent make that ambition increasingly difficult to achieve. Elliot Anderson is one player who got away and whose exit nags away at Howe, sources have told TEAMtalk.

Eddie Howe to Tottenham?

As a result, Howe’s own future is now very much under scrutiny.

While he remains committed for now, senior figures at the club accept that he could depart St James’ Park this summer if the right opportunity arises.

As Hopkinson testifies, that may also not be a choice for Howe, with a failure by Newcastle to finish in the European spots potentially leading the club to pivot to a new man. Indeed, his job is not as secure as it used to be, especially when Amanda Staveley was at the club.

Should the former Newcastle co-owner complete her desired takeover of Tottenham Hotspur, sources indicate she would make Howe her first choice as head coach. She and Howe have a very good relationship, and even with Roberto De Zerbi newly at the helm, it’s expected they could still look to bring Howe in at the north London club.

With the Premier League climax fast approaching, Newcastle’s hierarchy face a delicate balancing act: satisfy financial regulations without dismantling the side that has restored pride to Tyneside.

For Howe and the fans, the coming weeks will be critical in deciding whether the club takes steps forward together or rebuild with new personnel.

Newcastle latest: Man Utd’s Tonali doubts; PSG superstar linked

Meanwhile, Manchester United are shifting their focus in the summer midfield overhaul towards more prudent, value-driven signings, according to well-placed sources, with the club cooling somewhat on Tonali amid three lingering doubts over a move for the Newcastle star.

While Newcastle face a difficult balancing act on incoming transfers, we can reveal that one name they have been offered is Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos, with the Portuguese ready to leave the European champions this summer, and with TEAMtalk able to confirm the clubs who have already held talks.

If you missed our news on Tuesday, sources confirmed that a high-profile and versatile Manchester City defender is weighing up a potential move away from the Etihad this summer as he seeks regular first-team football to reignite his career, .