Miguel Almiron is still very much in Eddie Howe's thoughts ahead of what is expected to be a hectic summer on Tyneside.
Howe has tried to manage expectations in terms of summer business but with new players already shortlisted but with 32 senior players already on board, movement is inevitable in the next couple of months. Almiron and his representatives have refused to get drawn into talk of a summer exit in the last week or so and for now Chronicle Live understands they want his football to do the talking.
That is a situation that will suit Howe and his backroom team absolutely fine and actions spoke louder than words against Crystal Palace in the narrow but professional 1-0 win on Wednesday night. Howe, who left Almiron out the team for a big chunk of his early rein, said: "He was excellent Miggy, he really was. But he's someone that we've always liked.
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"We had a team that was settled and doing very well and he found it difficult to get in. That didn't change the way we think about him and he's had a chance now in the team."
Almiron's superb run and finish, which saw him strike the ball across Vicente Guaita, who is no mug having played for Valencia in La Liga for six seasons, resulted in the Paraguay star rip his shirt off and dive into the crowd. Howe reflected: "I thought his goal today epitomised his performance, really, pace to get in behind and then what a finish."
"That's something he's worked incredibly hard on behind the scenes every day, on his finishing, on his finishing off that angle, and he got his reward with that goal."
