Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has hit back at Jurgen Klopp over his comments made last week about the Tyneside club being state-funded.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle after taking over the club last year and have invested around £210m in the playing squad during the last two transfer windows, reports the Daily Mail.
Although not technically state-owned the links to Saudi Arabia are easy to see and that makes the Magpies one of three clubs funded by states in European football, alongside Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Last week, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp went on a small rant about Man City’s finances and dragged Newcastle into the conversation.
The German coach stated via the Liverpool Echo: “There are three clubs in world football that can do what they want, financially.
“I heard now Newcastle, whatever was said, that there is no ceiling for this club. Yeah, he is right, he is absolutely right; there is no ceiling for Newcastle, congratulations, some other clubs have ceilings.”
? "NOT POSSIBLE"
?? Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool's ability to compete with financially Man City pic.twitter.com/lT8TPJNaai
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) October 15, 2022
How has the Newcastle boss responded to Klopp’s comments?
Speaking during a press conference today, Howe responded to Klopp’s words by saying via the Daily Mail:
‘We have huge plans and want to go to places with huge ambitions, but the reality of what we are working towards and working with, there is a ceiling because of all the things I have sat here and explained every week: Financial Fair Play, we’re still in a training ground that’s being renovated.
‘We’re not living that life that is being discussed. We are living a very different reality. Our wage bill is very controlled. We’re trying to do things in a very stable and controlled way.
‘Although we have spent money on players, it has not been extravagant or out of sync with the rest of the Premier League. Everyone has to be careful with their comments and opinions.’