EDDIE Howe doubled down on the importance of behind the scenes "collaboration" at Newcastle United amid fresh questions about the new transfer structure at the club and speculation about his own future amid England links.

Howe is thought to be in the FA's thinking as the governing body sets about replacing Gareth Southgate and when quizzed about the links earlier this month, Newcastle's head coach said he "absolutely wants to stay" at St James' Park "as long as he feels supported by the football club".

Just over a week down the line, after watching his side beat Hull City 2-0 in pre-season at the MKM Stadium, Howe confirmed there'd been no contact from the FA and, asked whether he'd received any assurances from Newcastle's hierarchy, said: "I've just been working every hour to make sure we're ready for next season."

It's been a summer of change on Tyneside, with Paul Mitchell now heading up the recruitment team after arriving as the club's new sporting director. He's been joined at St James' Park by James Bunce, the new performance director.

And Howe also lost one of his key allies when Amanda Staveley left her position as a co-owner and director.

Asked whether there's been any further talks with those above since his press conference during the trip to Germany, Howe said: "Well, we're just working... There's been a lot made of it, but we're just working normally as we would do towards the new season. It's no different.

"I can't say that my week is any different from a normal pre-season. A lot of hard work on the training pitch, a lot of talks about transfer targets and trying to bring players in. Hopefully we get some movement on that soon."

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Newcastle are pressing on with efforts to strengthen their squad and Howe is holding daily talks with the recruitment bosses over the state of play on the transfer front, but he admits no signings are close as things stand.

He said: "Of course we're having discussions every day, several times a day, to try and move the squad forward and make sure we're ready for what is a very, very tough Premier League season. But I can't give you sort of false news. We're working towards that, everyone wants the same end point, let's see what happens.

"It's very difficult to judge (when to expect progress). I would love to give you definitive answers but if I give you definitive answers you're going to hold me to it and then I'm going to potentially look stupid. We are working to try and bring players in and that won't stop."

Howe says behind the scenes alliance is crucial when it comes to transfers.

"It's not about (him) having a final say, I'm not going to say anything different to what I said before, collaboration," he said.

"We've had really positive talks and we're trying to bring the right players for the football club. But it's never about one person's decision and neither should it be. It's about a group of people coming together and making the right decisions, all for the benefit of the football club."

Asked about the impact of this summer's upheaval on Newcastle's transfer efforts, he said: "I don't think disruption is the right word. I'm at the end point of recruitment work as it were, so I'm busy coaching the team. Towards the end of collating information, that's when I'll have my input.

"There's a lot of work going on always through the year in terms of trying to bring players in."