Newcastle, recently reflagged to Saudi Arabia, are unable to afford superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar despite the financial might of their new owners, manager Eddie Howe said on Friday.
Owned up to 80% by the Sovereign Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), Newcastle have already spent more than 250 million pounds sterling (286 M EUR) on the purchase of new players during the last three transfer windows.
Asked by reporters about the prospect of seeing some of the best players in the world land at Newcastle, Howe kicked into touch. “We cannot afford to afford these players because they are the best in the world.”
“We will never be able to pay such transfer fees and their salaries, that’s why we have to get them young and develop them into the players they are capable of being,” explained the coach of the current third in the Premier League.
Such a position rules out for the moment the idea of recruiting the star of Paris SG Neymar or the fivefold Ballon d’Or Ronaldo (Al Nassr), recently mentioned in the press.
“This kind of speculation has existed since day one (of the takeover of Newcastle, editor’s note). Naturally, everyone suggested that the biggest names in world football were going to land in Newcastle. “For now, Newcastle cannot afford to recruit in this way.”
Howe made shrewd signings like goalkeeper Nick Pope and full-back Kieran Trippier for relatively modest sums, while spending larger sums on Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes, Dutchman Sven Botman, Swede Alexander Isak and Englishman Anthony Gordon.
The Magpies, who host Arsenal in the Championship clash this weekend, have every chance of securing a place in the lucrative Champions League next season.
