EDDIE Howe has admitted Newcastle United are working to a "very strict budget" but says more new arrivals are needed to ensure the Magpies have the depth required to cope next season.

In a frank admission of the position the Magpies find themselves in as they bid to comply with financial fair play regulations, Howe says Newcastle will need to be "creative" to ensure they get more players through the door.

But, says Howe, it's a not a case of Newcastle wanting players; rather, he says, they "need" more arrivals to ensure they're equipped to compete on all fronts next season.

Sandro Tonali - who watched on from the stands as Newcastle kick-started pre-season with a 3-2 win at Gateshead - is the only senior player to arrive at St James' Park so far this summer, with Howe admitting that he's had some "frustrating and difficult days" as attempts to further strengthen the squad have so far proved unsuccessful.

And he has warned that there'll be no repeat of the £50m+ spent on Tonali again this summer, saying: "I don't think we'd necessarily be able to go for that calibre and to be honest, breaking down the price, that type of player in every transfer, there's no way we can do that. That's not necessarily the blueprint because we'll have to be clever with the remaining funds that we have."

Harvey Barnes is a known target for Newcastle but Howe wouldn't speak about the Leicester player and admitted "nothing is close" with any deal as things stand.

He said: "I can share that we want to bring players into the football club but they have to be the right ones and they have to be at the right level,

"We're working hard to do that, we've been working hard all summer. It's difficult to get good players, as it is with any club, but we'll keep going.

"We have a very strict budget that we're trying to work within. Always with financial fair play, there are certain things you can be creative on but we don't have a huge budget to work with."

READ MORE:

Vital for Howe this season is having what he deems to be the squad depth to be able to cope with the increased demands on his players as Newcastle prepare for their first season back in the Champions League.

"It (depth) is huge for us this year," he said.

"With the competitions that we're in, having three games a week we need to be able to rotate the team but to be able to bring in players who are of equal standard.

"That's what we're looking to do but we know we have a lot of work to do to do that. Players are expensive these days. We're working within financial fair play guidelines which is very difficult for us. We might need to be creative, but we're trying to look at every avenue we can to make the club stronger.

He added: "I'm a mixture of all things at different times. I'm patient and understand the parameters we're working in but I also know the needs we have. For me it's not a case of we want to do it, we need to do it. And being a coach I want them on the grass available now so all of those things together."

Pressed on Barnes specifically, Howe said: "Nothing is close (with any deal).

"I can't say anything (on Barnes). I would never be disrespectful (to Leicester)."