The PIF era at Newcastle United has brought some pretty fashionable names to the club.
Sandro Tonali’s move to Newcastle may not have worked out just yet but, before his ban, it looked as if the club had pulled off something of a coup in signing an Italian international who had recently played a key role in winning a Serie A title with a storied club in AC Milan.
Before Tonali, the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak had arrived.
Guimaraes and Isak are now arguably two of the more in-demand players around at the moment, such has been the level of their respective impacts since joining Eddie Howe’s team.
Still, it’s not all been about the signing of big names.
Indeed, not only has Howe yielded vast improvements out of the players he inherited but some of the other perhaps less fashionable additions have had big impacts.
The likes of Gary Neville havepraised Newcastle’s measured approach to recruitment since PIF’s takeover and Dan Burn is perhaps a leading example of the success of it.
The defender was brought back to his boyhood club for £13m in January 2022 and has since established himself as a key player under Howe.
While this season has proven more arduous at times for Burn, Howe believes he’s been nothing but a huge success.
Eddie Howe believes Newcastle struck gold with £13m transfer
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s draw with former club Brighton, Howe said (via The Northern Echo): “He’s been a huge success.
“I don’t spend time at night thinking of my top five [signings] but in my head he’s been a huge success and I’m delighted with the signing.”
Dan Burn will continue to play a leading role next season
While Newcastle are believed to be moving towards strengthening their backline by holding talks with Tosin Adarabioyo and Lloyd Kelly of Fulham and Bournemouth respectively as their contracts wind down, it’s hard to see Burn not playing a huge part next season.
Handed the captaincy at times this year, Howe has spoken so positively about the defender even during a bad run of form. Having also hailed Burn’s versatility, there’s little to suggest he won’t continue to play a leading role.
The post 'Huge success': Eddie Howe thinks Newcastle got it so right with £13m transfer appeared first on Geordie Boot Boys.