Although Newcastle United had a strong end to the season, finishing 11th in the Premier League after being in the relegation zone at the mid-point, Chris Waugh of The Athletic says Eddie Howe is looking to upgrade many of the existing side that played a part in their turnaround.
Waugh reports that Newcastle are on the hunt for a dynamic central midfielder with ball-playing abilities, so that could see Jonjo Shelvey’s spot in the side disappearing. Bruno Guimaraes has been outstanding since joining in January, so his place in the side isn’t under threat.
So with Newcastle wanting a defensive-midfielder to protect the backline – competing with Sean Longstaff and Isaac Hayden – the last piece of the puzzle is Shelvey’s spot.
If Howe goes into next season with a pivot as expected, the only survivor in midfield from 2021/22 will be Guimaraes. Shelvey impressed under Howe and was a regular for the majority of the campaign, but he might be at risk of being dropped if a new face comes in.
Newcastle have the resources to bring in a midfielder of top quality, so it makes sense not to rest on their laurels with passable existing players.
In other news, Eddie Howe could drop Fabian Schar next season despite fine form
