Newcastle United have been hamstrung this season.
Despite the many millions PIF have on offer, FFP restraints proved a barrier during the January transfer window, while Eddie Howe has hinted they will remain a problem for years to come.
Indeed, Newcastle haven’t been able to spend since last summer and could even be forced to sell one of their key players to raise the funds to be able to invest again.
Bruno Guimaraes has been tipped for an exit on that front, as well as Jamaal Lascelles – albeit a potential departure for the defender is clearly not as likely to create such a vacuum in the squad.
As such, the club are trying to raise funds elsewhere. They are reportedly planning another pre-season trip to America in order to drive more revenue, while they will also head to Australia for a friendly against Premier League rivals Tottenham in a friendly just three days after the season ends.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon and after such a gruelling season across domestic and European football, that will surely not be welcome news for the players.
It certainly isn’t for England manager, Gareth Southgate.
Tottenham vs Newcastle in Australia: Gareth Southgate on friendly
Quizzed about the game in the build-up to England’s meeting with Brazil at Wembley on Saturday night, Southgate said (via the Evening Standard): “Financial Fair Play means clubs need to generate their own money, so we’re in a bizarre world where there’s more money in the game than ever before, and yet everyone is scrambling across federations and clubs to generate more money.
“The normal way of doing that is to play more games. So is that great news for us, in terms of preparation? No.”
Tottenham vs Newcastle in Australia: Southgate is correct
Pre-season tours are not exactly a new thing but the fact Newcastle are traveling so far for a one-off game does underline the things clubs have to do in order to stay on track FFP wise.
It’s difficult to imagine the players or Howe themselves pushing for this trip after such an arduous campaign but the club need to think commercially in order to stay on the right side of profit and sustainability rules.
It is bizarre, there’s little getting away from that. The game runs the risk of further injuries and, given Newcastle’s luck on that front this season, it would hardly be surprising to see fresh ones emerge.
Having to raise money from every kind of avenue, however, is the reality Newcastle now live in.
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