Eddie Howe has now been at St James’ Park some 29 months.

The NUFC Head Coach has done an incredible job with the Newcastle United players he inherited.

Is there anybody who hasn’t improved under Eddie Howe? Maybe there are one or two but they don’t come to my mind, plus the reality is that the vast majority haven’t just improved, they have done so to a significant degree.

However, as well as those, what about the signings that Eddie Howe has made?

Lewis Hall (August 2023 – Initial loan as part of overall eventual £28m deal to be completed summer 2024)

I make that 14 Newcastle United signings made by Eddie Howe.

I know that there have been other young players brought in for much smaller amounts such as Ashby, Kuol, Harrison and so on. However, impossible to judge so far on those and in today’s market their fees are so low when it comes to the Premier League, it makes sense to concentrate on the obvious ones.

I have to ask the question…

Has Eddie Howe made a bad signing?

For me, it is a very easy answer, NO!!!

The signings I am guessing some of you will be shouting about, in terms of questioning me potentially…

Chris Wood was asked to do a specific unselfish job and was key to what happened in the second half of that 2021/22 season. Not only avoiding relegation but third best form in the Premier League in the second half of that season and in the 15 PL games he started that campaign, United picked up 29 points. Newcastle United recouped £15m of the £25m when Forest bought him and this season Wood has the highest current conversion rate of all PL strikers, scoring 12 goals this season from 27 shots.

Matt Targett was excellent that first half season on loan and has simply had a terrible time with injuries, as well as last season kept out by Burn’s superb form on the left of the Premier League’s best performing back four.

We all know the situation with Sandro Tonali and it has been a massive blow. However, nothing has changed for me in terms of I think he is an excellent player and will show that next season, building on the few glimpses we had of what he can do, such as his excellent debut against Villa. To blame Eddie Howe for a secret gambling addition would be laughable.

With 57 direct goal involvements (goals and assists) in the Premier League the past four seasons for Leicester, Harvey Barnes was a great signing. Just because he picked up a cruel freak injury doesn’t change that! Plus of course, even if you wanted to still claim this as a poor Eddie Howe signing, the input from Barnes in just these last few games proves you wrong.

Easy to forget that Lewis Hall was only 18 when signed initially on loan. I have no idea as to whether there were contract implication reasons that impacted on so few appearances for the teenager but certainly on what we have now seen, no doubt for me that he is a quality player. Including his ability on set-pieces, as an alternative at times to Kieran Trippier?

I can’t wait to see who Eddie Howe goes for this summer.