Eddie Howe has dismissed Gabby Agbonlahor's claim that Newcastle United will struggle to attract players because the club is based "too far north".
The talkSPORT pundit and former Aston Villa star stated that players would prefer to play closer to London and Newcastle would have to pay more in wages to attract them over southern sides.
But Howe, who is putting together his shortlist for January, said: "I don't think that's accurate.
"Personally, I haven't seen Newcastle in the light yet so it's difficult for me to comment on!
"Everybody I have spoken to has told me what a nice area it is to live in. I have only heard amazing things about the town centre and surrounding areas.
"But no we will have no problem attracting players to Newcastle for a whole host of reasons. What is an issue is our league position."
When asked what assurances he could offer in regards to January, Howe said: "It is very difficult to make any promises… that we will definitely spend money and sign players.
"You have to attract the players, the players have to want to come, they have to be the right players and they have to improve your squad.
"That is why, as everyone knows, January is an incredibly difficult window to recruit players, especially when your league position is difficult. So I can’t make any promises on that.
"I can promise that the owners and those above me will support me and the team in trying to do what we need.
"But yes that is all I can say. It would be foolish of me to make rash promises and statements.
"My priority is getting the best out of the players we have."
Agbonlahor had said on talkSPORT: "Let’s be honest. When I was playing, Newcastle was the place where you were thinking ‘Mmmmm, not sure, I don’t really want to go, that far north, the weather. I’m not sure…’
"Players want to be close to London. You know, closer to London was an attraction. You’d have to pay more…
"If you offered now, a player, forty thousand pounds a week at Newcastle, or thirty thousand pounds a week at Brentford, he would go to Brentford."
