Eddie Howe's message to Newcastle United's star players

Anthony Gordon this week signed a long-term deal to cement his status as one of the leading lights at St James’ Park, and Howe is also keen to keep record signing Alexander Isak despite conceding the Swede is not currently involved in talks over a new contract.

The Magpies are aware that some of their biggest names are coveted by competitors, but are equally cognisant of the financial restrictions under which they are operating, and that eye-watering pay deals have an impact elsewhere.

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Asked how the club could convince the likes of Isak, Gordon and skipper Bruno Guimaraes of their ambition, Howe replied: “One of the challenges we have with all our best players is to continually drive the club forward.

“It’s very easy to talk about ambition, but we have to show ambition. We have to give them an environment where they feel like they’re flourishing, because the better they perform, the better we have to build the structures around them.

“I’m very aware of that and I know the club are very aware of that, because what we don’t want to be doing is disbanding our team every year.”

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Newcastle have made great strides since Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium assumed control a little more than three years ago – Guimaraes arrived in the midst of a relegation fight, while Isak and Gordon were recruited to fuel an unlikely push for a return to the Champions League.

However, asked what he would say to a player who felt the club, which finished seventh in the Premier League last season and missed out on Europe, could no longer match his ambition, Howe said: “I would always give a balanced view.

“I would always protect the club, but we need to make sure we’re delivering our part as a football club for them.

“But also the player has to perform to that level. If he’s saying he has huge ambitions, he has to be actually doing the business on the pitch.

“It’s a two-way thing, the challenge is always thrown back.”