Newcastle transfer news: Eddie Howe hints at squad overhaul after admitting £124m problem

Eddie Howe has encouraged Newcastle United pair Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to ‘show their worth in training’ if they wish to force their way back into his first-team plans.

Following the club-record sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer, the Magpies spent a club-record £69m to sign Woltemade from Stuttgart and £55m to lure Wissa away from Brentford.

Woltemade’s stock rose considerably after scoring 17 goals for DFB-Pokal winners Stuttgart last season, and he made a bright start to his Newcastle career, scoring seven goals in his first 13 games for the club.

However, the 6ft 6in striker - also used in midfield on occasions - has fallen out of favour under Howe, scoring just one goal in his last 26 matches across all competitions and playing the full 90 minutes in just four of those.

The same can be said for Wissa, who has experienced a difficult debut campaign at St James’ Park that began with a three-month injury layoff immediately after his transfer from Brentford.

Since and including his Magpies debut in December, Wissa has scored just three goals in eight starts and 15 substitute appearances in all tournaments, starting only one game since the end of January.

Howe has favoured Anthony Gordon and Will Osula in the centre-forward position, and the Newcastle boss has opened up on why both Woltemade and Wissa have slipped down the pecking order.

Eddie Howe: 'You have to reward players for what they deliver'

Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Arsenal on Saturday, Howe said: "It is difficult because our centre forwards have been productive. Anthony Gordon played up front, he was scoring as the number nine and now Will Osula has come in and scored as a number nine.

"It is difficult, you have to reward players for what they deliver, and at the moment I have gone with a different option to Nick. There is no problem with his fitness, when he plays he has to do the same and try and deliver the goals we need."

Howe added: “Like with every player that’s not playing, they have to show their worth in the training, and I think that’s their shop window for me to pick them, to show how they train, how they commit to the training.

“How much they’re prepared to put individual disappointment to the side for the team to then come back fighting again.”

At a time when Newcastle sit down in 14th place in the Premier League table and 13 points behind the Champions League places following a miserable run of eight defeats in the last 11 games, Howe has admitted that “bigger changes” than expected could be in store at the club this summer.

"We're always looking at the team and trying to make assessments and judgements for the future. That's natural,” Howe said.

“Of course, if the team is not performing then there will be bigger changes in the summer than previously. You have to react to what you see. That goes on, on a weekly, daily basis behind the scenes.

Uncertain summer ahead for Howe and star Newcastle players

"I think the players will expect that, there is a responsibility to try and be at your best, that falls on me as well to deliver the best I can for the players and the staff. It goes with the territory."

A plethora of Newcastle players have been tipped to leave the club this summer, most notably top scorer Gordon and key midfielder Sandro Tonali who have both been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

The Magpies are allegedly prepared to sell Bayern Munich and Arsenal-linked Gordon, who is keen to pursue a fresh challenge, while Tonali has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus.

Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall and Nick Pope have also been linked with a summer exit, while Kieran Trippier has already announced that he will be leaving the club when his contract expires in June.

Speculation over Howe’s own future is also rife, and the 48-year-old has said that he is looking forward to sitting down with the club’s Saudi-backed owners next week to "express things from my perspective".

"It is something that happens regularly, nothing out the norm for us. I always like to talk directly to the owners and to express things from my perspective. It has been something we have always done and I look forward to it next week."

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and a delegation from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) are scheduled to visit the North East next week, with Howe, CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson also set to be involved in discussions over the club’s future.