Kieran Maguire reveals concerning Newcastle United FFP update after Champions League exit
Newcastle United have to be ‘extremely cautious’ with FFP limits in the January transfer window after crashing out of the Champions League.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively told Football Insider that Newcastle’s European exit is a game-changer and has put the Tyneside club on the limit of Financial Fair Play regulations.
Eddie Howe’s suffered a 2-1 defeat to AC Milan at St James’ Park in their final group stage game of the Champions League.
The loss means Newcastle finished fourth in Group F and are entirely out of Europe for the 2023/24 season.
Football Insider revealed that Newcastle will target loan deals in January to avoid breaching FFP regulations.
Newcastle’s Champions League exit may also cost the Premier League a fifth qualification spot to the tournament next year with Italy and Germany currently ahead of England on coefficient points.
Only two nations will be handed an extra spot for next season’s revamped format.
Newcastle currently sit seventh in the Premier League table after 16 matches and face a difficult task if they are to return to the Champions League in 2024/25.
Maguire insists that Newcastle fans will now be supporting other English teams in Europe this season to try and secure the fifth qualification spot.
“At the start of the 2022/23 season, my information is the Newcastle board will not have been budgeting to get into the Champions League,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“So any money received from the competition this season will be a bonus to their long-term plan.
“At the same time, after their recruitment in 2023/24, they would have hoped to get a bit further and that was reflected in their summer spending.
“They’ll now have to be extremely cautious when it comes to the January window because they have been very keen to ensure they are within FFP limits.
“So Champions League elimination is a minor blow for Newcastle, but they continue to travel in a promising direction and they have a good chance of qualifying for European competition next season.
“They will also be cheering on English clubs in Europe this season to try and secure that additional qualification spot.“
In other news, Howe to block Newcastle United sales after ‘massive’ development