Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has declined the club’s offer to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, saying that the club “can’t afford” to sign the “unbelievable” trio.
The Premier League club has been recently linked with these superstar players, after they managed to secure a top 4 finish in the Premier League and will be playing in the Champions League next season.
With their place guaranteed in the most coveted European competition, Newcastle owners will be looking to strengthen their squad in the upcoming transfer market. However, manager Eddie Howe has ruled out the possibility of signing high-profile players like Cristiano, Messi, and Neymar.
“We could not be able to come close to affording those players,” said Howe.
“They are the best players in the world. We are never going to be in a position currently to afford those transfer fees and wages, so we need to go underneath and find them young and develop them into the players they can be,” he continued.
“Naturally everyone has then assumed the biggest names in world football will be going to Newcastle. Now, we’ve not recruited that way. Financially, we can’t recruit that way at the moment, but also we have to bring the right people and the right players into the group,” he added.
What a group! đ𫶠pic.twitter.com/KAFpzoI5u6
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 30, 2023
“I will say the transfer market is such a complex decision, you can’t just pick a name and bring them in. There’s got to be a lot of thought going into what we’re doing both financially and looking at the players,” he further added.
Newcastle United is one of the richest soccer clubs in the world
Since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) took over the club in October 2021, Newcastle United has become one of the richest clubs in the world. The club has since spent roughly ÂŁ250 million on signing star players, with names like Kieran Trippier, Nick Pope, Alexander Isak, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Bruno Guimaraes.
An absolutely breathtaking assist from Alex Isak. đ€€đžđȘ pic.twitter.com/NTO1AzoZBQ
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 27, 2023
With the help of these signings, Newcastle are currently third in the Premier League table this season, with five games remaining to play. Given the current situation, it is unlikely that the club will slip up to a top 4 finish and lose the chance to play in the Champions League.
Money canât buy this.
Newcastle United is just a beautiful place to be right now.
— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) May 3, 2023
Newcastle United will host second-place Arsenal in a Premier League fixture on Sunday, and Arsenal will be trying their best to climb back to the top.