Eddie Howe has overseen a superb Premier League season at Newcastle United, and a mid-season blip notwithstanding, they may have been even closer to Arsenal and Manchester City than the 13 and 14 points respectively that they currently trail them by.
A whisker away from a first piece of major silverware in decades too, it’s clear that the manager has his squad dancing to his tune.
A tune that is being enjoyed by the thousands of Magpies disciples that have come flooding back to St. James’ Park, which has been packed to the rafters each time Newcastle have played at home in the 2022/23 season.
For all of the good that Howe’s appointment has done for the club, there will be members of the first-team squad disillusioned by not having had a chance to be able to stake their own claims.
Despite the onset of an expected Champions League campaign as well as domestic challenges in 2023/24, which would arguably mean the need for a fuller squad, Football Insider say that Howe is preparing to cut seven players adrift.
Loris Karius, Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett, Emil Krafth, Matty Longstaff and Matt Ritchie will all leave the club according to Football Insider sources.
Many of those names haven’t been able to dislodge those players who have routinely earned the trust of their manager, and to that end, trimming the wage bill significantly would appear sensible.
Albeit, some new players will need to be bought in order to pad out the squad for a long, hard season ahead.