EDDIE HOWE has admitted Newcastle United cannot afford to stand still if they are to keep their biggest stars at the club.

Bruno Guimaraes’ future remains the subject of considerable conjecture, with the Brazilian’s contract containing a £100m release clause that rival clubs can trigger before the end of June.

Alexander Isak, whose brace in Saturday’s 5-1 win over Sheffield United took him to 19 league goals for the season, is also attracting strong interest, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris St Germain all having been linked with a possible move for the Swede in the last few days.

While Newcastle chief executive, Darren Eales, has conceded the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules mean the club might have to sell someone to be able to bring in players this summer, Howe does not want to lose either of his leading lights.

However, with a second season in the Champions League off the agenda despite the Magpies’ strong finish to the campaign, the head coach also accepts the club must keep showing signs of progress if they are to retain their world-class performers.

“I don’t really want to be addressing that (the future of Newcastle’s key players) week in, week out,” said Howe. “But at the same time, you want your players playing at the very best level consistently, showcasing their talent to the world. So, it probably does go hand in hand, unless you’re right at the top of the tree, which we’re not at the moment.

“We have work to do as a football club to maintain our drive and ambition. It’s there, but the players need to feel that too. For them to pledge their long-term future to the club, we have to maintain the momentum and keep it very strong.”

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Securing European football of some description next season would undoubtedly help, and to that end, the weekend results have strengthened Newcastle’s position with four more games to play.

While the Magpies were cutting loose against Sheffield United, and confirming the Blades’ relegation back to the Championship, Manchester United, West Ham and Chelsea were all claiming draws. As a result, Newcastle have closed to within a point of sixth-placed Manchester United, and moved four points clear of the eighth-placed Hammers (with a game in hand) and five points ahead of ninth-placed Chelsea (having played a game more than the Blues).

If Manchester City win the FA Cup, the teams finishing fifth and sixth will make the Europa League, with the side coming seventh qualifying for the Conference League. If Manchester United win the Cup final, a top-seven finish will guarantee European football of some description, as long as Erik ten Hag’s side also finish somewhere within the top seven themselves.