Howe rubbishes mooted Man Utd transfer; declares Newcastle signing has commanded respect

Eddie Howe insisted there is “no truth” to talk of a botched Newcastle swap deal with Man Utd, and revealed how Kieran Trippier has commanded the respect of his teammates.

The Manchester Evening News recently claimed plans were afoot to swap Martin Dubravka with Dean Henderson on deadline day. Both Man Utd and Newcastle were claimed to have okayed the move which would’ve seen both goalkeepers switch places on loan.

However, the outlet claimed Dubravka put the kibosh on the deal after refusing to be relegated to a back-up under David de Gea at Old Trafford.

Regardless, Eddie Howe has now rubbished the MEN’s claims, insisting there is “no truth” to Dubravka being offered around on deadline day.

“There was absolutely no truth in Martin Dubravka being offered to Manchester United from our side,” Howe categorically stated in his Friday press conference (via the Chronicle).

The Magpies will be expecting big things from their January additions. Staving off relegation will be their first priority, but if their new signings fire, a surge towards a mid-table finish is not out of the question.

Chris Wood impact goes beyond the scoresheet

That could be reliant on new striker Chris Wood finding his groove. With Callum Wilson not expected back until the season’s final throws, the onus is on Wood in the final third.

Howe said of the New Zealander, who is yet to score for Newcastle: “He’ll want that goal. But it’s not lost on me the difference his presence and physicality have made to that front line.

“There have been a lot of balls that he’s had no right to get a touch on or just knock a defender that means we’re able to get up the pitch.”

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Bruno Guimaraes shone in a cameo from the bench in the 3-1 victory over Everton in midweek. The Brazilian will add a touch of class to the midfield, and Howe hinted he’s ready to unleash the ex-Lyon ace from the start.

“He’s ready to play,” said Howe. “He’s shown all the technical qualities that we love about him in training already but it’s a case of managing the group & making sure I make the right selections.

“I thought the midfield balance against Everton was really good.”

Trippier “instantly” earned Newcastle teammates respect

Fellow new boy Kieran Trippier has also caught the eye. The England international produced a trademark free-kick against the Toffees, though Howe has repeatedly gone on record to praise his leadership and off-field qualities instead.

Explaining how Trippier has made an impact beyond just that on the pitch, Howe added: “He instantly caught the lads’ respect straight away just by his demeanour, how he approaches training and his leadership skills.

“He was very vocal early on when he came in when speaking to the group. But, also, his performances have spoken for themselves.”

Howe concluded with a message of reinforcement and backing to talismanic forward Allan Saint-Maximin. The Frenchman is one of a small list of stars bought prior to the Saudi takeover that can realistically expect to compete with the raft of new stars Newcastle will add in the coming years.

“I’ve seen no indication from the player that his head’s anywhere other than Newcastle and making sure he’s committed to us,” said Howe.

“I see a player that loves playing at St James’ Park in front of supporters, is idolised by them. That relationship is key to Maxi.”

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