Eddie Howe's reply when asked if Newcastle will make late signing & reveals Phillips issue

Eddie Howe has revealed that "things are changing on a daily basis" when it comes to our transfer plans - but work is continuing behind the scenes to secure our top January targets, despite us 'not being very close' to a breakthrough.

When asked at this morning's press conference if we'll make a late signing, he said: "I don't know. Things are changing on a daily basis. We're working behind the scenes on targets. But there's no guarantee it will happen. It's my end to try and leave the window with the strongest squad possible and that won't change."

He then added, "We're not very close. We're preparing and that's all we can do, preparing and seeing what's out there, identifying players and targets. We're not active in the market currently."

The club are clearly working round the clock to make it happen, with a meeting at Alnwick Castle last night and the arrival of chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan a potentially promising sign.

One deal we 'missed out' on was Kalvin Phillips, who Eddie Howe commented on this morning. Asked why the Man City midfielder ended up at West Ham not Tyneside, he added, "we had to step away from that one due to financial reasons.”

Reports suggested that City were demanding a £7m loan fee - big money for five months of football - and his wages to be paid in full. Even if West Ham have secured a loan with no £40m obligation to buy, you can see why we walked away; especially on a player who has played 89 minutes of Premier League football all season.

Howe then touched on the "unsettling" rumours linking the likes of Trippier, Almiron, Wilson and Lascelles with moves away, saying it's added to a "difficult window" for the club:

"It's been a difficult window so far. It's the first time since I've been manager that we've been linked with players leaving. That creates an unsettling dynamic.

"A lot of those rumours have been just that. Rumours. I'm trying to prepare our team for the next game."