Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has named how many signings owners PIF need to make in the transfer market, and it tallies with Eddie Howe’s view.
The summer transfer window was briefly opened at the start of June, but Newcastle United did not make any moves. It is now shut until Monday 16 June, though the hope will be that Howe finally has his squad strengthened at some point soon.
Howe wants Newcastle to make four signings this summer as PIF look to start spending again, with the club having gone without a major first-team addition since the summer of 2023.
Newcastle could have a summer transfer budget of £150million, but the club do not appear to be prepared to rush into anything just for the sake of spending. That feels wise to a certain extent, but the pressure is undoubtedly on the Newcastle United owners to get deals done.
Shearer, for his part, agrees with Howe.
Alan Shearer says Newcastle United need to make three or four signings
The Newcastle United legend was speaking to The Daily Mail ahead of the launch of the Premier League Summer Series.
During the discussion, Shearer said Newcastle need “three or maybe four” new signings, appearing to echo Howe’s thoughts on the matter.
He also claimed the club are in a great place to strengthen after winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.
Should they do that, Shearer thinks they could realistically challenge for the Premier League title.
“You have to strengthen when you’re at your strongest and Newcastle are in a really strong position by winning a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League,” said Shearer.
“So I guess if they were to get three or maybe four players in that can play first team football or challenge to get into first team, then yeah, they can challenge. They’re not that far away.”
Expert delivers verdict on Newcastle United’s spending power this summer
Earlier this month, Geordie Boot Boys spoke to football finance expert Adam Williams.
Williams highlighted the fact that Newcastle could spend £200-£300million this summer.
Still, the reason why that feels unlikely is that it could max out their headroom in terms of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), which do not allow clubs to lose more than £105million over a three-year accounting period.
“I think probably what the club insiders really mean is that they don’t think it’s wise to max out their PSR allowance this season and then hamstring themselves for next season,” he said.
| Player | Fee |
| Lewis Hall (permanent after loan move in 2023/24) | £28m |
| Odysseas Vlachodimos | £20m |
| William Osula | £10m |
| Lloyd Kelly | £0 |
“There’s that nuance there that is hard to communicate to fans, but I think the communication strategy of Newcastle and a few other clubs could be a bit more transparent here, though I do understand that’s not an easy sell.”
Big spending this summer could lead to further implications down the line, which could potentially lead to player sales in transfer windows to come.
With that in mind, it’s logical that PIF wouldn’t rush into any decisions. At some point, however, it feels like the club need to make a decisive move.
Howe wants Newcastle to make signings quickly, and he’s well within his rights to make that demand. He surely cannot perform a miracle again.
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