Your Newcastle United headlines for Monday, June 20.
Hislop on Howe
Shaka Hislop is impressed with the job his former teammate Eddie Howe has done so far at Newcastle. An injury-ravaged stint at Portsmouth in the early 00s was the catalyst for the Toon boss considering management at a young age.
Howe later became Bournemouth boss at 31-years-old and Hislop - the Pompey goalkeeper during his two-year spell - is pleased to see his friend excelling on Tyneside. Speaking to ChronicleLive, the former Magpies goalkeeper said: "I know Eddie Howe took on his coaching badges at a very young age at Portsmouth. When he was at Pompey he got injured and started taking on his coaching.
"You've now seen how he has matured in that position. You see his beliefs in football and that he likes to play a certain way. There was no thinking of when you are down at the bottom of the Premier League, you need to play a certain way. Eddie has saved the team by playing an attacking way.
"They were comfortable long before the end and they can now look forward to what is to come in the future. It is refreshing to see somebody like Eddie bring that new thinking to Newcastle."
To read Lee Ryder’s full interview with Hislop, click here.
Ekitike boost
Newcastle have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Hugo Ektike after Borussia Dortmund tabled a bid for ex-West Ham striker Sebastian Haller. The German outfit were one of several clubs - including PSG - believed to be rivalling the Magpies for the 20-year-old.
Replacing talisman Erling Haaland is the top priority for Dortmund chiefs this summer and Ekitike was linked with filling the void up front. A small consolation for Newcastle is how highly the Frenchman must be rated given the conveyor belt of attacking talent the Bundesliga club have developed in recent years.
Signing Haller from Ajax would make a move for Ektike unlikely, with the Reims man wanting assurances over first-team football.
Magpies ‘close’ to McArthur deal
Kilmarnock youngster Charlie McArthur is set to be the latest addition to United’s academy ranks. ChronicleLive understands the defender’s representatives ironed out personal terms last week ahead of a six-figure deal.
Dan Ashworth is keen to overhaul the youth setup and upgrading the youth academy is of equal importance to first-team arrivals. McArthur competed for Scotland at last month’s U17 European Championship and broke into the Kilmarnock side in 2021-22.
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