Magpies have made only one signing to date while missing out on several targets
Eddie Howe has admitted that Newcastle United’s summer transfer plans have not gone as hoped, with the club having missed out on several targets this summer.
Newcastle have only one new signing confirmed to date, which is the £55m deal with Nottingham Forest for Antony Elanga.
Speaking after the club’s 4-0 loss to Celtic in their opening game of pre-season, the Magpies boss admitted that they wanted to act early in the market but a number of deals have slipped away.
“I wish I could give you clarity, some sort of guarantee that this or that is going to happen, but I can’t,” Howe said.
“My wish was for us to do our business early, we certainly tried but it wasn’t to be.
“I’ll be open about us missing out on targets to other clubs on several occasions. If a player is not desperate to come, then the transfer doesn’t work.”
Among those targets was Hugo Ekitike, with Newcastle submitting what would have been a club-record bid to Eintracht Frankfurt. The offer was turned down, and the French striker now appears to be edging closer to Liverpool instead.
Joao Pedro, another long-term attacking target, opted to join Chelsea. Interest in Brentford forward Yoane Wissa is also complicated by Bryan Mbeumo’s move to Manchester United, with Brentford reluctant to lose both players in the same window.
Despite the setback, the Newcastle boss remains hopeful that further additions will be made in the coming weeks.
Howe said: “We’re confident we can try and get some more players in to try and strengthen the depth of our squad.”
