Liam Kennedy has been speaking on NUFC Matters about what PIF and Newcastle United will be aiming for next season.
While Newcastle United are not yet safe from relegation into the Championship, with a nine-point gap between themselves and the bottom three, it would take an almighty turnaround from a few teams below them to drag the Magpies into the relegation zone.
Will Newcastle qualify for Europe next season?
Yes!
No!
Newcastle have lost just once in their last nine games and that came at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday, but they have seemingly done enough for now at least, to not have many worries about relegation for another season.
With the Magpies now looking to end up mid-table, Kennedy believes they will be going for a top-eight finish next season.
(42:43) “Finishing 10th next season isn’t going to be a huge step forward, so for me, top eight is where they’ve got to be aiming because there will be significant investment and they will significantly level up.”
(43:41) “I think there’s enough there to suggest now that even with a full squad now, Newcastle can be competing at the top of the bottom half. So with three or four or five bits of quality in the summer, and a significant transfer spend as well, then, I think top eight is a must.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s aims next season…
When PIF bought Newcastle United last year they were in the bottom three and winless, so potentially aiming for a top 10 finish the following campaign in the Premier League would have been sensible thinking, however, with the Magpies now just four points off 10th, that would not likely be a big enough step forward.
PIF pumped £90 million into the club during the January transfer window, but over the summer that will likely be surpassed given, they’d have a lot longer to bring in players and identify better targets that could significantly improve a side already taking leaps forward under Eddie Howe, so a push for Europe may not be off the cards during the 2022/23 season.
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