Eddie Howe breaks silence on rumors linking Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar with Newcastle
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has responded to speculation over the club making moves for Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in the summer.
The Magpies are flying high in the Premier League, occupying third place with five games remaining. UEFA Champions League qualification is edging ever closer, and with that, the Tyneside club have been linked with many players.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar's names have been touted as potential acquisitions for Newcastle in the summer. However, Howe has moved to play down those profiles of players arriving at St James' Park. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):
“A lot of the names aren't accurate. We need to recruit wisely."
Howe continued by insisting that the Magpies are searching for players they can unearth and turn into world-class talent:
“We want to discover them before they explode onto the world stage. We need to go underneath, find them young and develop them. I know the direction."
#NUFC
Eddie Howe on Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar links: “A lot of the names aren't accurate. We need to recruit wisely”. 🚨⚪️⚫️ #NUFC
“We want to discover them before they explode onto the world stage. We need to go underneath, find them young and develop them. I know the direction”. https://t.co/gH0JmP0ui0
Cristiano Ronaldo's future is uncertain, with recent reports suggesting that the Portuguese icon wants to leave Al Nassr. He has only been at the Saudi Pro League club for three months, scoring 12 goals in 15 games across competitions. However, Ronaldo, 38, desired to remain in Europe, and it appears that he's eyeing a return to European football soon.
Meanwhile, Neymar, 31, is being linked with a departure from PSG amid protestations from ultras at his home in Bougival. Reports claim that Newcastle are exploring a potential deal for the Brazilian who has bagged 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 games across competitions this season.
Howe's stance makes sense, given the strategy the Magpies have used in recent transfer windows. They have lured the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak and Sven Botman to the club. The trio have been instrumental in the side's pursuit of a top-four finish.
Newcastle will continue to be linked with many star names due to the club now being the richest in world football. A consortium of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and the Reuben Brothers took over the club in 2021.
Neymar described Cristiano Ronaldo as a monster in 2018
Neymar has never played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Brazilian has come up against the iconic forward during his time at Barcelona in the El Clasico against Real Madrid.
The PSG forward lauded Ronaldo in 2018 as being one of the greatest in football, telling the Players' Tribune:
"As for Cristiano Ronaldo, he is a monster. Facing him is a pleasure and an honour, but we have to be more prepared. He is one of the greatest in football, so you get smarter; you get alert, but at the same time, you learn a lot, too."
Ronaldo dominated European football in the last two decades. He scored 701 goals and provided 223 assists in 949 games while playing in Europe. The Portuguese great won the UEFA Champions League five times during spells with Manchester United and Real Madrid.