Emmanuel Petit is confident Newcastle United will qualify for next season's Champions League due to having the 'best defence' and their lack of European football this term. The Magpies currently sit third in the Premier League, and are preparing for a Carabao Cup semi-final tie with Southampton.
Newcastle have spent in excess of £200 million since the takeover in October 2021, leading some to dismiss their achievements so far as being solely down to their transfer spend. Superstar recruits such as Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have been supplemented by proven top-flight players such as Dan Burn and Nick Pope.
Petit has praised Eddie Howe and Newcastle's recruitment team for bringing in the 'perfect players' in the initial battle for survival last term. The World Cup winner reckons the head coach is making the 'right decisions' with the support of the club's board, and believes Allan Saint-Maximin's current struggles to earn a starting spot show the widespread improvement at St James' Park.
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Petit told Sporting Post: "Yes I think so. With Newcastle they don’t have any European football and have the best defence in the League, they are so compact and it’s hard to score goals against them.
"Last season they were fighting relegation and this time last year they brought in the perfect players for what they needed, because they had a strategy. They looked at the team and figured out where they needed to improve to stay in the Premier League. They brought in players that know the league and how to fight against relegation.
"Then they added quality in the summer market and it’s paying off now. Eddie Howe is now making the right decisions because he worked with the board.
"Look at Allan Saint-Maximin, he was their best player last season and he keeps him on the bench. Eddie Howe he knows what he’s doing. In football it’s great to have money, but it’s better to have ideas."
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