EDDIE Howe admits the tightening of the Premier League's financial rules has forced Newcastle United to reassess their immediate ambitions in the three years since the club's takeover.

After the 2021 takeover, led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Amanda Staveley boldly claimed the aim on Tyneside was to win the Premier League within five to 10 years.

Howe would arrive soon after to replace Steve Bruce in the dugout and when he joined the club he says there was a feeling the owners could "invest what they wanted".

But the Premier League have since clamped down on ensuring compliance with profit and sustainability rules - leading to United's mad dash to raise funds ahead of June's deadline.

And while Newcastle chiefs remain as ambitious as ever, there's been a realisation over the course of the last 36 months that United's transformation into regular title and trophy winners will take longer than initially anticipated.

RECOMMENDED READING:

“Five years does seem short, especially in my shoes," said Howe, quizzed on the 2021 claims from Staveley, who vowed at the time Newcastle had the same ambitions as Manchester City and later doubled down saying: "We will win the Carabao Cup, we will win the FA Cup, we will win the Champions League and we will win the Premier League."

Howe added: "At the time I don’t think the statements were rash. There was a feeling the club at that stage really could invest what it wanted. There is no guarantee that even with that investment you will win things, we all know that. But it gives you a much better chance.

"Since then there has been a real tightening of the rules. So it is unfair to judge them by those comments with the changing of the rules.

"Now it has become, I wouldn’t say impossible, but it has become very very difficult to achieve what they initially thought they could achieve through no fault of their own."

Despite the challenges, Howe believes Newcastle are still on the right track.

He said: “I think it's a really exciting time to be associated with Newcastle. I think there's a lot going to happen in the future.

“The dreaded words of PSR would just put a lid on what can be done now but I think the future looks very bright beyond that period."