If you were thinking Newcastle United players and staff were going to have an easy break over the winter, think again. While the likes of Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar jet off to Qatar for the World Cup, Eddie Howe and the players left at home will be hard at work ensuring their fine start to the season isn't wasted in 2023.
Newcastle confirmed they would be involved in a winter friendly with Rayo Vallecano on Friday, with the clash taking place on the same day as the World Cup third-place play-off. The Magpies will also jet out for some warm weather training in Saudi Arabia during December.
"We're trying to organise a mini pre-season for the players," Howe told reporters on Friday. "The players that remain with us will need to stay fit and sharp and be ready for the Premier League resuming. It's an exciting game and one we're looking forward to."
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Howe will also be using the Premier League break to sit down with Newcastle chiefs and plan out how they attack the January transfer window in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup. Speculation is already rife regarding Newcastle's potential business, despite the winter market being around two months away.
Howe's side struggled to land top targets in the summer, with Premier League sides unwilling to loan Newcastle players due to their meteoric rise in such a short period of time. January will likely prove a tricky window for the north east outfit after their stellar start to the season.
However, Newcastle are also in the position to attract big names that may have been reluctant to make the switch just a matter of months ago. All possible signings will be identified by Howe, sporting director Dan Ashworth and CEO Darren Eales during the World Cup break.
"We haven't had internal discussions on January," Howe added on Friday. "In terms of finances and how we look in the market. A question for another day. I think during the break we will look to January to see where we are."
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