Eddie Howe Is Getting The Most Out Of Newcastle United’s Past Spending

At the start of last December, Newcastle United were rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and were yet to win a game. This year, they will go into the World Cup break in the Champions League places.

Some might point to the huge spending in January for this turnaround, but while Newcastle United might be the richest club in soccer following their Saudi Arabia-led takeover, the real transformative power of that wealth is yet to be seen.

The main reason for their success in the last twelve months has been the new face in the dugout, head coach Eddie Howe.

Howe has averaged 1.74 points per game as Newcastle head coach, and while he has been backed extremely well in the transfer market, his biggest achievement in the north east has been to improve the players who were already at the club.

A recent post by CIES football observatory shows that from the start of the season to 26th October, Newcastle United have fielded the fifth most expensive starting eleven in the Premier League, based on player transfer fees. Their average starting eleven costs $257 million, which is more than Tottenham Hotspur.

At first glance, this makes it look like Newcastle have simply spent their way to third place in the Premier League. But a deeper look reveals how efficient Eddie Howe has been at getting the most out of Newcastle’s main assets.

Contrary to the popular narrative, before the Saudi Public Investment Fund came along, Newcastle United did spend quite a bit on certain players under their frugal ex-owner Mike Ashley. Despite their Saudi-backed spending, Newcastle’s second most expensive signing is still the Brazilian midfielder Joelinton, who was signed from Hoffenheim for almost $50 million in 2019/20. Joe Willock and Miguel Almiron were also signed for around $29 million and $27 million respectively under Ashley. Like Joelinton, they were seen as players who had the potential to increase in value over time.

Others in soccer didn’t see things quite the same. Joelinton was labeled a flop under previous head coach Steve Bruce and Almiron’s soccer skills were mocked last season by Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.

Some head coaches would have discarded such players, but Howe found a place for them within his system and both have impressed this season.

Howe reinvented struggling striker Joelinton as a ball-winning midfielder with such success that the Brazilian was named the club’s Player of the Season for 2021/22.

Almiron’s improvement wasn’t as instantaneous, but the hard work on the training ground is now showing on the pitch with Almiron already scoring eight goals in just 14 games this season. For context, Almiron had only scored nine Premier League goals in total in the 110 previous appearances for Newcastle since he joined from MLS side Atlanta United in 2019.

Howe changed Almiron’s role in the side and worked on helping him get into more scoring positions, leading him to have 2.8 shots and 4.9 touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes this season, far more than in his previous seasons at St. James’ Park.

Out of Newcastle’s nine most expensive signings, eight are currently at the club (the other is Michael Owen), and four of those joined before Newcastle’s takeover. Three of those players: Miguel Almiron, Joelinton and Joe Willock are all among Newcastle’s top eight players for minutes on the pitch this season. The other, Callum Wilson, is a regular starter when fit.

Newcastle United might have one of the most expensive starting elevens in the league, but thanks to Eddie Howe turning their supposed “flops” into key players, the club have wasted very little money over recent seasons.

Until Newcastle are established among the potential Champions League sides, they will struggle to attract the absolute elite players and stay on the right side of financial fair play rules.

To break into that top tier of clubs, Newcastle will have to make sure the players that they can attract are reaching their potential.

With Joelinton and Almiron, Eddie Howe has proven that he can be the coach to do that.