PUNDIT Chris Sutton believes there are rumblings of discontent behind-the-scenes at Newcastle.
The former Chelsea striker reckons manager Eddie Howe is not “entirely happy” at the club after a challenging transfer window.
Despite keeping hold of key players like Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak, the club failed to sign top target Marc Guehi.
The Toon saw four bids rejected for the Crystal Palace defender, including an offer worth £65million.
Newcastle also sold duo Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton respectively amid PSR concerns.
Upstairs, chiefs Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Dan Ashworth also left the club and these departures may have frustrated Howe.
Sutton told casinoapps.com: “I do not think Eddie Howe looks entirely happy at Newcastle this season.
“There is no doubt that Guehi was the player he wanted. He was his number one target – you have to wonder if the fact that Staveley and Ghodoussi have left the club had an impact on that signing.
“They were both strong allies of Eddie Howe and new people like Paul Mitchell have come in to replace them.
“He’s hinted that all may not be well behind-the-scenes. On the pre-season tour, he mentioned that there was not a total alignment in what he wanted to do and the new hierarchy.
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“That set alarm bells off because Howe is not a loudmouth. He is measured, he does not shoot from the hip.
“If you think about his career in management, he’s never really made a statement like that before. He is a deep thinker, so for him to come out and even suggest that they weren’t in alignment worries me.
“He would have had his targets and he’s not got them. I think that could be a problem further down the line.
“Howe has every right to feel pretty peeved about that. There could be problems on the horizon.”
After Newcastle tried to sell players due to PSR rules, Howe, who has been linked with the England job, raged “it felt wrong” and it had been “a very difficult couple of weeks”.
New chief Mitchell said on his partnership with the boss: “It’s a working relationship and it does take time. It has to develop trust within it.”
Newcastle have won two and drawn one of their two Premier League games this season.
