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Sport

Craig Johns

Simon Jordan on Newcastle United's next challenge and what would be a 'significant achievement'

Simon Jordan Newcastle (Organization) Newcastle United Eddie Howe Jurgen Klopp Chelsea EPL Liverpool

Simon Jordan believes it's going to be really tough for Newcastle United to repeat their 'brilliant' season next term, with the demands of domestic and European football, plus the refocusing of rivals making Eddie Howe's task harder.

The Magpies are now guaranteed a place in one European competition next season, and are just one win away from ensuring that will be their return to the Champions League after the emphatic victory over Brighton on Thursday evening. It would be the result of a brilliant turnaround this season after the takeover last term, with Newcastle finishing 11th then.

But having had such a dramatic rise, Jordan warns that changes will be needed over the summer to better equip the squad for competing on both domestic and European fronts if they are to continue challenging for a place in the Premier League top four.

He told talkSport: "The challenge for them is continuing to build because they've gone in such a vertical direction from where they came from to where they are now, so it's going to be difficult to keep that trajectory. They've also got the challenge now of not only playing in the Premier League, but also competing in Europe as well.

"So they're going to need a bigger, better and more varied squad than the one that they've currently got. I do think they've made some wonderful signings - I'm a huge fan of Callum Wilson's and I always have been. The one problem is that he's not fit enough, but when he is he's absolutely prolific.

"I think the boy Isak they've signed is wonderful, Almiron has come on leaps and bounds, and obviously you've got the boy Guimaraes in the middle of the park. Defensively, I think they'll be asked more questions in the weeks and months of the new season, and I think there are going to be certain players who have come in and done decent jobs for them, who are going to find themselves surplus to requirements.

"I think if Newcastle can finish in the top four again next season, I think it would be a very significant achievement. I think what they've done this season is brilliant, I think Eddie Howe and the feeling and momentum he's built inside that football club and the ultimate togetherness and the atmosphere at St James' Park is relatively unique. It's up there with atmospheres like Anfield."

While appreciative of the work Howe has done on Tyneside, Jordan does believe that expectations will now rise at Newcastle too, but warns it won't be easy to sustain a top-four challenge next season. As well as the constraints of competing in Europe, the pundit expects to see other sides mount stronger challenges next term.

"Now there is expectation," Jordan continued. "I don't care what the Newcastle fans say, there is expectation being created that there is a platform there to be built across. There will be a pressure behind that because of the immense finances that they have got. They've set themselves a standard, they've got a European campaign, and it's all there.

"But, you would expect Liverpool to wake up, you expect Chelsea to wake up. Fine [Newcastle will expect that], but you're talking about clubs and squads who are experienced in what they are doing. Chelsea have a had a blip, and they haven't brought Pochettino in so they could continue that blip.

"So one would assume that will be arrested and they will become contenders again to be challengers again. So that's a challenge that has not been available this season. Liverpool are going to be waking up, because Klopp has already told you that he will be back at it and all across it. So they'll be back in the mix.

"So all of a sudden, those challenges come on the horizon that they've not had this year. Villa are not playing about with Unai Emery. And we're all still in the fumes of the team that is disappearing over the horizon and getting further and further away from everybody else, which is Manchester City."

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