Eddie Howe Breaks Silence on Rumour Linking Cristiano Ronaldo to Newcastle

Newcastle United's manager, Eddie Howe has reacted to the news linking Cristiano Ronaldo to the Magpies.

Howe was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against Arsenal at Saint James' Park. He has been fantastic since he became the manager of the club, he took them from the brink of relegation last season to a European finish this season.

He said the club does not have the financial capacity to sign Ronaldo and Neymar besides they will not spend an outrageous amount on any player when the transfer window opens.

It is best to discover players before they explode onto the world scene. We could not be able to come close to affording those players (Neymar and Ronaldo) as they are the best players in the world. That kind of speculation has been there from day one since the takeover. Naturally, everyone has then assumed the biggest names in world football will be going to Newcastle. We have not recruited that way. Financially, we can't recruit that way at the moment. But also, we have to bring the right people and the right players into the group. The transfer market is such a complex decision, you can't just pick a name and bring them in. There's got to be a lot of thought going into what we're doing, both financially and looking at the players. I know what direction I want to take the team in, and what we can and can’t do in the transfer market. Those two players are unbelievable. We are linked with many different names. A lot of the names will not be accurate.

However, Newcastle will have to strengthen their squad, if they are to stand a chance with other clubs in the UEFA Champions League or Europa League next season.