Sooner rather than later, the attention at Newcastle United will have to turn from potential incomings to outgoings. Sandro Tonali has already been convinced to swap the San Siro for St James' Park, with the Magpies now mulling over a move for Harvey Barnes.
Eddie Howe has stressed his hope to be able to field two starting elevens next season, with Champions League qualifcation meaning United will compete on four fronts. Without the distraction of European football last term, the head coach was able to largely rely upon a core group of starters.
The desire to bolster the ranks has not led to an acceptance of quantity over quality, with Howe also adamant any signings will have meet 'elite' criteria given the team's form and fourth-placed finish last season. Beyond the financial restrictions limiting Newcastle's spending capacity, the club also has to address trimming a bloated squad before the summer deadline.
This need has been brought to the forefront following Sunday's confirmation that both Paul Dummett and Loris Karius have signed one-year contract extensions. It means that as things stands, Newcastle currently have 29 senior players in their squad following Tonali's arrival, with the Premier League enforcing a 25-man limit minus under-21 prospects.
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This total does not include the trio of Ryan Fraser, Isaac Hayden, and Jeff Hendrick, with all three players expected to move on this summer. Fraser was frozen out of the senior setup for the second-half of the campaign, while Hayden and Hendrick both spent last season on loan in the Championship with Norwich City and Reading respectively.
On top of this trio, United will have to remove a further four players from the squad or risk having them sat on the sidelines. At least one of Martin Dubravka or Karl Darlow will likely leave, with the latter said to be attracting attention from Bournemouth and a number of Championship clubs.
Harrison Ashby and Kell Watts are both too old to be included as under-21s players, meaning loan moves for the duo could make sense. Emil Krafth remains on the road to recovery from an ACL injury, but Javier Manquillo is another tipped for a transfer with the Spanish full-back struggling for minutes and entering the final year of his contract.
So as it stands, Newcastle look well-placed to accommodate the turnover of players, even though it means a minimum of seven players need to leave on either a temporary or permanent basis. However, matters will be complicated further with each and every senior signing the club makes in the remainder of the window.
Newcastle are at the point of needing to operate a one in, one out policy with any further recruits. If Barnes comes through the door and is joined by at least one defender, Howe could face disappointing two players when it comes to registering his 25-man squad.
Given the positions under consideration, any signings in these positions will likely heighten talk of potential departures for Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin. The club captain is another player in the final year of his contract, while the number 10 has been linked with an exit after struggling for minutes last season.
Newcastle can ill-afford a scenario of keeping a player on the books beyond the summer who will not be eligible to feature in the Premier League, given UEFA's incoming sustainability regulations. European clubs are limited to spending on transfer fees and wages in proportion to their revenues as a percentage of their revenue.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire confirmed Newcastle's wages to revenue ratio stood at 95% in the latest accounts, a figure that would need to be brought down despite the increased revenue already banked from Champions League qualification and the Sela sponsorship deal. The Magpies hierarchy are well aware of the financial rules they must comply with, and it means any further signings in this window will almost certaintly have to be accompanied by an exit.
