Eddie Howe hints wholesale changes may NOT be on the cards for Newcastle

We've been led to expect a raft of changes to the Newcastle United squad in the summer, particularly following such a difficult season.

Newcastle are still grinding through the Premier League season, with many fans just waiting for the misery to end so we can rebuild in the summer and go again next year with a reinvigorated squad.

Reports have led fans to believe that there will be plenty of incoming and outgoing business in the summer as the club looks to trim the fat, maybe make a couple of big sales to boost its coffers for a recruitment-heavy window.

Newcastle brought in six players last summer, and we were all expecting great things this season, but it hasn't worked out that way at all, so the question has to be asked: Does it make sense to make that many changes again so soon?

Eddie Howe isn't expecting a host of squad additions this summer

Eddie Howe doesn't seem to think so. When speaking to the media on Friday morning ahead of Newcastle's game with Brighton on Saturday, Eddie Howe spoke about the summer recruitment and admitted that a 'drip-feed' approach is likely better than wholesale changes.

"I think the team, there will be an element of change, there always is and always has to be in every transfer window, ideally. The aim is always to try and recruit in every window, and ideally not too many players, so you don't have the jump of six new players like we had last summer; it's more of a drip-feed approach. I think that's the best chance to have consistent success.

"Evolution and change, where the team goes, I think, is really exciting. With some really smart additions and some good recruitment decisions, I think you can improve really quickly, as we've seen other teams from last year to this in the Premier League have done. I think recruitment becomes the big focus and making sure we get that right."

So what happens now?

We're not quite sure where that leaves us in the summer, then, because while we appreciate that too many changes will unbalance the squad and we run the risk of having another season like this one, where things aren't clicking on the pitch, there's no getting away from the fact that we need an overhaul.

If the club could be trusted to recruit in every window as Howe expects, then maybe we could say the recruitment could be split between the summer and January, but our recruitment has not been consistent at all, and we've had more windows without recruitment than we have with it. Or at least it feels that way.

I always go into the summer excited for teh transfer window, but then when we're actually in it, I hate it. It happens every year: a player is mentioned, it's all looking good, you get attached to them and excited to see them in the shirt, and then they end up going elsewhere before we've even put in a bid. 

This year had better be different. We want to see quick, decisive action, no messing about, no hubris expecting deals just to go through like we've done with James Trafford and Hugo Ekitike. Just get them done!