£250,000-a-month saving plan high on Newcastle United agenda to provide summer transfer boost

Newcastle United are set to attack the summer transfer window in a bid to land fresh faces for Eddie Howe's senior side - but offloading fringe players on hefty wages will ultimately provide the key to unlocking those exciting new arrivals on Tyneside.

Jeff Hendrick, Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie and Loris Karius have all been released in recent weeks, lessening the Magpies' wage contributions heading into next season. Next on the list is dealing with two stars who also have no future under Howe: Ryan Fraser and Isaac Hayden.

Newly-promoted Southampton took Fraser on loan last season and have agreed a deal to secure the winger's signature on a permanent basis. The Saints won't have to break the bank for the signing by any means but Newcastle will be shaving their wage bill by around £42,000 each week upon Fraser's exit.

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Hayden hasn't featured for Newcastle since 2021 and has endured tricky loan spells away from St James' Park in recent seasons. The midfielder struggled to settle in Belgium last season before eventually seeing out the campaign at Queen's Park Rangers. Hayden's Newcastle contract runs until 2026 but could be cut short this summer, saving the club around £22,000-a-week.

Offloading both aforementioned outcasts will mean Newcastle can put around £250,000-a-month, or £3million-a-year, towards new arrivals.

Jamal Lewis is another who could move on to pastures new after spending last season in the second-tier but unlike Fraser and Hayden, Howe has afforded opportunities to the left-back in the past. Martin Dubrakva is someone who would also only bring in a minimal transfer fee but would help ease salary costs on Tyneside upon bidding farewell.

Howe is fully aware that moving players on is a necessity this month, with more frequently used stars at risk of being sold to pave the way for new arrivals. Kieran Trippier, Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff are just some of the senior regulars being linked with moves away to help Newcastle meet their profit and sustainability obligations.

Speaking back in January, Howe said: "[FFP] is a frustration for everyone connected with us. Certainly the owners are very ambitious, and they would like to help and improve the squad in any way they can.

"The rules and conditions we're working under don't allow that. That's just how it is, we're acting in the way we can. There's no surprises for me. We've been working under FFP restrictions for some time. I don't know if he said selling a star player, those might be words the media have attached. Selling players is part of every club's DNA now, they have to within FFP rules.

"To sign players, we may have to sell players - that doesn't necessarily mean star players, whatever's meant by that term. But certainly, selling players is something this club will do for the foreseeable future."