Newcastle manager Howe acknowledges significant contract dilemmas ahead

Howe expressed his concerns, stating, "Discussing the broader picture, addressing Joelinton's contractual situation as it approached a critical juncture. It is imperative for the football club to avoid losing players on free transfers, as this presents various challenges that we aim to steer clear of."

"Probably the biggest reason for that is that it's a distraction for the players and in my experience, players tend to play well when they start to run their contract down into that last year, it's a very uncertain time for them. We want players at their best but we want to protect the asset value of the individual player as well.

"To replace any player that is in and around our squad is going to cost us a lot of money so we've got to be very careful with those decisions."