United’s players know just where they stand

NEWCASTLE United players will already know where they stand.

Back in May, Eddie Howe sat down with them all individually for an end-of-season review.

These open and honest conversations prepared the players for what was coming in the summer and where they lay in the pecking order.

It was during one of these chats Howe first informed Matt Targett he wanted to sign the left-back permanently from Aston Villa.

Given how Targett was already on loan, only two changes will have to be made to the 25-man squad Howe submitted in the second half of last season as it stands.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope will either come in for Mark Gillespie or Karl Darlow, depending on who leaves, or not while Federico Fernandez place is under threat following Sven Botman’s arrival unless Howe takes the fairly unprecedented step of including five senior centre-backs plus the versatile Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett.

There is already space to do just that after Dwight Gayle was rerouted to the academy building - but it is worth bearing in mind Howe also wants to bring in a striker and a wide forward before the window shuts.

Therefore, one of these planned additions will surely take Gayle’s place while one of Newcastle’s current wide men looks in danger of dropping out if Howe signs the winger he wants.

Of those wide players on Newcastle’s books, Matt Ritchie’s place looks most at risk compared to Miguel Almiron, Jacob Murphy, Ryan Fraser and Allan Saint-Maximin - but it may be a little dangerous to write off the 32-year-old just yet.

Ritchie only made eight appearances under Howe last season - in part due to injury - but the veteran played a hugely-important role behind the scenes.

In fact, Ritchie told friends he ‘felt such a big part of it all’ as a key member of Howe’s leadership group who helped to maintain standards around the training ground and selflessly pushed his team-mates.

It was Ritchie, on a number of occasions last season, who geed up those around him in the dressing room before games and Howe and his staff have valued that input since their days together at Bournemouth.

It is just one of many areas in the squad where there could yet be a surprise or two and Howe has already hinted as much.

He said back in May: “It’s very difficult for me to comment or to go too much in depth in my answer because I respect my players too much to talk openly about what will happen in the future.

“I would say there are players, potentially, who maybe haven’t featured too much under me who will stay and vice-versa so wait and see.”

On the subject of possible shocks, although left-back Dummett was handed a new deal, there is still a chance Jamal Lewis could come back into the fold after putting his groin issues behind him once and for all and you can never rule out a wildcard in pre-season. Take Jacob Murphy, for instance.

Facing an uncertain future, following a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, Murphy earned his place in the 25-man squad in 2020 after catching the eye in training and during the club’s friendlies.

That was not necessarily a turnaround even predecessor Steve Bruce and the coaching staff predicted at the time.

Murphy, after all, went 609 days between starting competitive games for Newcastle after a number of loan spells away from the club.

Of course, the levels have gone up since then on account of the players Newcastle have brought in this year but anything can happen in pre-season and every session and friendly counts under Howe.

Starting with the visit of Gateshead this afternoon.