Newcastle United rivals tried to DOUBLE transfer fees amid quest to make marquee signings
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has claimed some of their rivals attempted to DOUBLE the price tag on certain targets during the early years after the club's Saudi-backed takeover.
But he insists the days of Newcastle overpaying for new players are over despite the Magpies playing catch up in their bid to be top four candidates after two questionable transfer window, the last trading period overseen by Paul Mitchell. During his weekly Press briefing at the club's media centre in Benton, Howe defended his previous role as one of the recruitment figureheads and pointed to the intense climate in early 2022 when Newcastle had to persuade top stars to sign for the Magpies with the club cemented to the bottom of the Premier League table.
It had been sporting director Mitchell who called the recruitment department into question in the first place after a rousing sit down interview with the ex-Monaco supremo. Howe can sit down safe in the knowledge he has played a part in signing stars like Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Alexander Isak.
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It shouldn't be forgotten that Newcastle managed to steer clear of the drop in 2022 despite a shocking start as Howe inherited a struggling United side. After the Magpies failed to land Marc Guehi, Chronicle Live asked Howe whether the club must simply get used to having to cough up more like big hitters such as Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Howe told me: "I think the 'Newcastle tax" was definitely there for us in our first year. After a big takeover, we were big news and we came in for a player and the price doubled.
"I don't think that's there any more because people know the reality of our situation and know we are not changing the market or what we are doing, we are in line in the market with everyone else. We have definitely walked away from deals early on where we thought there was a Newcastle tax.
"It all depends on your conditions and what type of player you are going for. It is certainly something we have encountered but I think it's less relevant than it was."
Nevertheless, Howe and United could not get that deal for Guehi over the line as Crystal Palace held firm and the Magpies ending up walking away from talks. If Mitchell was leading the Guehi talks, it does make you wonder why he would then go out and criticise the club's recruitment team?
Howe was asked about that very facet of club politics during a revealing Press conference, but said: "I don't think I can answer for him (Mitchell). The scouting structure was there, and whatever you think about the structures, I thought the results were very good.
"'I don't think it's right for me to make individual comments in reply to Paul's press conference. I don't think that will help our current situation. It's best for me to focus on the future.
"No, I've had no contact from Paul,' he said. 'But I don't think that's unusual. We've got different jobs to do. I'm focusing on the football and the team, and he's obviously focusing on his role.
"No part of me sort of looks back to the transfer window and all the stuff that, obviously, you guys write about on a daily basis and I understand why, but for me, my job is always about the future and tomorrow and so, transfer-wise, it's January. All those discussions haven't taken place yet, but football-wise, it's on the next game."
By that time, Howe, who also said he hadn't spoken to Mitchell since the window shut, and that practice was normal, had said enough. The reality is the relationship between the former AFC Bournemouth chief and Mitchell remains work in progress.