Eddie Howe reacts as Bryan Mbeumo snubs Newcastle for Man Utd transfer

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has conceded that his summer plans have been thwarted by frustration in the transfer market, following the unexpected exit of sporting director Paul Mitchell. The sudden news of Mitchell's departure in late May caught Howe off guard while he was on holiday, thrusting additional duties upon him. Since then, the Carabao Cup winners have only managed to bring in winger Anthony Elanga for their senior squad.

Howe is eager to bolster his team after Callum Wilson turned down a new contract and he had to let go of Lloyd Kelly to Juventus and Sean Longstaff to Leeds, all in an effort to comply with financial fair play rules. The Newcastle gaffer is also juggling rumours about Alexander Isak, who was sent home as his team-mates faced a 4-0 drubbing in a pre-season friendly at Celtic yesterday. Newcastle missed out on Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to Chelsea while Bryan Mbeumo will join Manchester United and Hugo Ekitike is Liverpool-bound. Another target, James Trafford, could go to Manchester City.

And Howe admitted ahead of Mbeumo and Ekitike's imminent moves: "My wish was for us to do our business early and we certainly tried, but it wasn't to be. We've had a frustrating time in terms of losing targets to other clubs. I'd be very open with that.

"That's happened on several occasions. You just have to accept it. In order for a transfer to really work, in my opinion, the player has to be desperate to come to your club. If we don't get that, the transfer doesn't work.

"We're seeking players that are good enough, that are desperate to come, and that can make the difference that they're in short supply for us.

"We're confident that we can try and get some more players in to strengthen the depth of the squad. We're certainly aware that we need to and we're trying as hard as we can to do that."

The Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules that influenced the departures of Kelly and Longstaff are also a factor.

"Finances of course play a huge part," Howe said. "I think anyone who doesn't think that's true is deluded. I wouldn't say is the number one for every player. Every situation is different.

"But we aren't the biggest payers in the league because we don't generate the most income. So we have to fall in line with PSR and we have to be very smart with what we do. And so we have to control the wages of the players that we have and that all plays a part in who we can attract."

Howe's exasperation has been heightened by being at the centre of Newcastle's transfer efforts following Mitchell's unexpected departure. "My phone exploded," revealed Howe. "I was enjoying my second day of my holiday and that quickly went sour.

"It was a complete surprise to me. And a big disappointment because we had stability, we were planning the summer ahead and then that's a big upheaval internally that we've been through before with Dan Ashworth leaving.

"It's been a busier summer in that respect than I wanted. Naturally with Paul leaving, that left a hole in terms of that role. And of course someone in that role protects the manager from a lot of things. And of course his departure left that open for me to do some things that I wouldn't have normally done.

"The summer certainly wasn't a relaxing one for me to switch off and see what happens."