Newcastle United were up against it with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) last season.
The PSR rules do not allow clubs to lose more than £105million over a three-year accounting period, something Newcastle United were seemingly close to doing before selling Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh last summer.
Newcastle could have been docked ten points for a PSR breach, so selling the pair made sense on that level alone, even if Eddie Howe was unhappy.
Howe did not want Newcastle to sell Anderson but allowing him and Minteh to go was surely more palatable than cashing in on one of their truly top players.
However, Newcastle now appear to be in a healthier position on the PSR front and Howe has revealed something interesting.
Eddie Howe confirms Newcastle are out for PSR revenge
Speaking on Friday, the Newcastle United manager suggested the club were out for revenge somewhat.
Anderson has impressed for Forest this season and Howe confirmed Newcastle were considering looking to exploit other clubs facing a PSR-enforced balancing act, just as Forest and Brighton did to them last season.
“The PSR deadline plays a huge role for clubs – both those clubs with PSR issues and those without – because those without may potentially look to try to sign players,” he said.
“They [the owners] will look to take advantage of other clubs, as clubs did to us last year, quite rightly.
“It’s a really interesting dynamic and one that we’re really aware of and that we’ll try to use to our advantage if we can.”
That will be music to the ears of supporters, who haven’t seen the club strengthen their first-team to any real degree in what feels like age now.
How Newcastle United insiders feel about spending power this summer
It’s hard to imagine the club breaking the bank on filling every single position possible this summer but the mood music does seem to suggest things are looking up on the financial front.
Indeed, Newcastle insiders think the club is in a position to spend this summer, and funds would no doubt be boosted if Howe can lead his team back into the Champions League.
Newcastle sit third in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s game at Brighton and are in pole position to claim a place in the top five, albeit there will likely be twists and turns to come during the final four games of the campaign.
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