Alan Shearer has predicted that up to five long-serving Newcastle United players could be ‘out the door’ this summer.
Eddie Howe admitted that Sean Longstaff’s long-term future was ‘unclear’ just a few days ago and the midfielder is not the only player who faces an uncertain summer. There are also question marks surrounding Callum Wilson and Jamaal Lascelles, who have both entered the final months of their contracts, as well as a number of other experienced names ahead of what promises to be a busy window.
“Newcastle are obviously going to have to get players out,” Shearer told Betfair. “There could be three, four, maybe five players out of the door, players who have been here a long time and have been really good for the football club. It’s probably best for those players and the club if they move on.
“What I would say, in terms of positions to bring in, I think they need another centre-back. They need a right-sided player and, without doubt, they need another centre-forward because, whether you like it or not, Callum Wilson has been injury prone so it would be really risky not to sign another forward to complement [Alexander] Isak. Whether it’s to play alongside or to fill in for him.”
Newcastle CEO Darren Eales is ‘excited’ about the upcoming window because of the ‘real alignment’ between Howe and sporting director Paul Mitchell when it comes to ‘getting the players that Eddie wants’. Newcastle also have more PSR headroom, following the mid-season departures of Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly, and Howe hopes this summer ‘has a totally different view’.
“I’d like to think we’re in a better position regarding PSR and that’s the key thing,” he told reporters this week.
