EDDIE HOWE will have up to £150million to bolster his Newcastle squad this summer.
The Toon are laying plans to prepare their squad for a Champions League campaign next season and are prepared to spend between £100-150million.
Newcastle are currently third following their 6-1 hammering of Tottenham on Sunday, six points clear of Spurs in fifth having played a game more.
The Magpies have been planning for the summer with two separate budgets depending on where they end the season, with £150million the top end.
With Champions League football looking more likely by the week, the higher end of the budget can now be considered.
Howe is keen to add a defensive midfielder and a left-back ahead of the new campaign.
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Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes has shone in the holding role this season, but the former Bournemouth manager would like to bring in a more natural defensive midfielder, allowing the 25-year-old to play further forward.
Dan Burn has also impressed at left-back, but is a better option centrally with Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney being considered as a target.
Elsewhere, Newcastle are looking to add to their attacking options with a winger who is able to cut inside and create problems for opposing defences.
Bayer Levekusen’s French winger Moussa Diaby is a long-term target for the Toon and has nine goals and eight assists in 28 Bundesliga outings this season.
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Furthermore, should they be able to stretch the budget far enough, Howe wants to add more cover at the back with a younger, right-sided centre-half.
Both Burn and Sven Botman are left-footed defenders leaving Fabian Schar, 31, and Jamal Lascelles, 29, as the more comfortable options on the right.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
