Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle will try to sign “elite” players - after being asked if he can afford to bid for £80m-rated England ace Declan Rice.
Newcastle have been linked with Rice this week amid claims that they have opened preliminary talks with the West Ham star. The Geordies will see their coffers boosted but up to £70m if they can maintain their current Premier League position and qualify for the Champions League, and do well in the competition next season.
Rice is expected to be on the market this summer, and would be a huge signing for a top-four club. Arsenal could also be interested in Rice, but Howe twice refused to rule Newcastle out of the running.
England team mate Jude Bellingham is also potentially up for sale for £100m-plus, with Manchester City favourites to land him. Liverpool ruled out spending so much on one player, but Howe did not when asked on Friday.
When asked if Newcastle could be in the market for Rice, despite such a price tag, Howe replied: “That is a difficult question to answer. We are trying to build the best squad we can. I think a lot will probably depend on what competitions we are playing in next year as to what we can and can’t do.”
When asked if he’d put so many eggs in one basket and if he had the capacity to do so, Howe said: “I think we will always try to gauge it in every situation.
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“Our strategy last summer was to try and find quality players for the positions that we needed not to bring in a host of players who don’t necessarily improve our starting XI or squad.
“I don’t think our strategy will change. We want elite players because we have an elite squad. If we do add anyone in they have to be better than the players we have.”
Howe has held talks with Anthony Gordon after his show of dissent at being substituted last week late in the victory over Brentford. Gordon expressed his unhappiness as coming off injury time, and has offered an apology to Howe but not been fined.
Howe was in a forgiving mood saying he wants the £40m man to keep a cooler head and needs “refining around the edges.” Howe said of Gordon: “Yes we have had a conversation. You are right, his enthusiasm, aggression and motivation are high. He is determined to do well and achieve.
“It is a hallmark and we love that. In certain moments he needs a cool head. “You want good people off the pitch, good pros living their life right and on the pitch lads who want to win, passionate about what they are doing.
“ Take that away and he is not the same player. Just needs a bit of refining around the edges. When he came on he changed the game for us.”
