Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has insisted Financial Fair Play is “real” after Premier League rivals Manchester City had been accused of greater than 100 alleged rule breaches.
City, who’ve steadfastly denied wrongdoing, may face stringent sanctions if they’re discovered to have damaged spending laws by an impartial fee.
However the Magpies, who’ve invested greater than £250m in new signings since Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium took cost at St James’ Park in October 2021, have repeatedly pointed to the revenue and sustainability guidelines below which they must work having been labelled by some because the world’s richest membership.
Asked about these limits within the wake of this week’s developments, head coach Howe mentioned: “I’ve always said that Financial Fair Play is real for us.
“I’m not there doing the figures and the numbers and I don’t quite understand how it fully works. I’m obviously led by the people above me at the club to say what we can and can’t do.
“But certainly it’s been there and I think it will continue to be there for us unless we can dramatically change our revenue streams.”
Asked if City’s scenario served to display the necessity for that method, Howe added: “The conditions we face mean we have to. Hopefully it does give a greater understanding of our methods and what we are trying to do and me in press conferences trying to explain it.
“It’s very difficult to explain it unless you’ve got all the numbers sitting in front of you. I can’t fully give you the explanation, but the way we have reacted in the transfer market, hopefully it makes sense.”