When Eddie Howe was appointed Newcastle United boss back on November 8, 2021 he took on the job of attempting to steer the Magpies out of the relegation zone.
In under four years, he has transformed a team used to an annual battle against the drop into a team challenging for domestic cups and the Champions League. Yes, Howe has had a decent amount of money to spend since the takeover – over £400million – but it has to be said that some of those deals were long overdue and that money does not always buy success; great coaching comes in, too.
As Newcastle were beaten 4-0 at Man City last weekend, Howe could only watch on as Pep Guardiola’s side turned on the style with a host of January signings as Omar Marmoush took centre stage with a hat-trick. As Howe looked behind him for options three of his substitutes were players he inherited and another was a youth team product.
On the field, four of his starters were players that were already at the club before he arrived in 2021. So of the squad on duty six of them were players he did not sign.
More incredibly out of the 24-man squad of players Howe scraped together to register for the second half of the Premier League season 11 of them were already on the books at St James’ Park. Therefore a large chunk of his squad were players that were signed by either Rafa Benitez or Steve Bruce.
With the season about to go firmly under the microscope for Howe and his players as the Carabao Cup final edges towards conclusion and FA Cup fates are decided, the fact that Newcastle are still in with a shout of trophies and Champions League qualification is testament to the manager and his staff.
Here we look at the players Howe is still working with four years after being appointed at St James’ Park.
Martin Dubravka
The Slovakia international was initially signed on loan by Benitez in 2018 from Sparta Prague before making the move permanent later that year in a £4.3m deal. He worked under the Spaniard before keeping his place under Steve Bruce and staying on the books going into the post-takeover era.
It has to be said that Dubravka could easily have moved on when switching to Manchester United on loan. However, Howe’s man management has to be applauded here as he kept his relationship with Dubravka healthy, telling him he didn’t want to lose him.
After the move to Man United didn’t work out, Dubravka ended up back at Newcastle and was even prepared to be number 2 to Nick Pope. Again, Howe kept things cordial with his veteran keeper and when he has been needed to step in he has delivered.
The fact that Dubravka has been outstanding this season and turned down a move to Al-Shabab when Howe pushed to get him a new deal shows the head coach can get the very best from players he still feels can benefit the club.
Fabian Schar
Another Rafa signing after a deal was struck in 2018 to sign the Swiss centre-back on a bargain £3m deal from Deportivo de La Coruña. Schar was frozen out under Steve Bruce but revitalised by Howe and has since signed a couple of transfer extensions since the takeover.
Jamaal Lascelles
Incredibly, Lascelles was signed by Alan Pardew almost 10 years ago in a double deal that saw Karl Darlow also arrived at the club. The pair were loaned back to Forest and never appeared under the Londoner.
However, both would get opportunities under Steve McClaren while Benitez made Lascelles captain in 2016 after relegation. Lascelles has seen it all at St James’ Park under McClaren, Benitez, Bruce and now Howe.
Howe likes Lascelles and the centre-back had a good season last term as he played in the Champions League before suffering a knee injury. He remains on the books as club captain.
Joelinton
The £40m man was once branded a flop by pundits after a big move from Hoffenheim. Handed the number 9 shirt, Joelinton struggled to impress for long periods under Bruce.
But after Bruce left the club, Howe threw Joelinton into midfield against Norwich after a red card for Ciaran Clark. The South American has never looked back after becoming a midfield enforcer and even earning a full call-up to the Brazil squad no less.
Joelinton is possibly the biggest success story of players that Howe inherited after becoming a mainstay in midfield.
Callum Wilson
The no.9 was a player that Howe had worked with before at Bournemouth and he was a key figure in helping the Magpies stay up in 2022 as he scored some vital goals against Burnley over the two games.
Wilson had a golden season in 2022/23 when he scored 19 goals for club and country and played at the World Cup. But injuries have not been kind to the striker of late.
After scoring at Birmingham in a 3-2 win, Wilson has again proved his worth for Howe by helping the team into the last 16 of the FA Cup.
Emil Krafth
A unsung hero for Howe in many ways but a reliable competitor who can do a job across the back four. Signed under Bruce in 2019 from Amiens for £5million the Sweden international is the ultimate team player.
Krafth is happy for others to take the so-called limelight as he gets on with his job. The former Bologna star overcame a serious knee injury to play his part last season as a back-up defender.
The 30-year-old is slowly edging towards 100 appearances for the Magpies.
Jacob Murphy
The forward has been a revelation at times under Howe but it was actually Bruce who rescued his Newcastle career.
Having been loaned out at Sheffield Wednesday, Murphy was drinking in the Toon’s Last Chance Saloon following an uninspiring loan spell at West Brom and then the Owls. Signed by Benitez, Murphy had not hit the high notes in his first spell on Tyneside.
However, nobody can argue with his form in the last few seasons after helping Newcastle get into the Champions League and reach a couple of cup finals. His sparkling form this term has resulted in a shout or two for an England call-up, with Howe tapping into his talent in an expert manner.
Joe Willock
The midfielder was a Bruce signing on loan from Arsenal and he quickly became a success with seven goals in seven games during a temporary stint. Signed permanent in 2021 from the Gunners for £25m, the man who Arsene Wenger handed a debut to as a kid has been a solid signing for Newcastle.
Under Howe, he has played his part in helping reach the Champions League and the Carabao Cup latter stages. If it hadn’t been for injuries he could easily have had an international cap for England.
Sean Longstaff
The North Shields lad came through the Academy and was handed his chance in the 2018/19 season under Benitez. It’s fair to say he was one of the main highlights of Benitez’s last season before injuries were suffered.
Under Bruce, the Geordie boy never always seen eye to eye with the head coach but still survived a more turbulent time. Longstaff admitted he had benefited from Howe’s coaching from 2021 onwards and he has remained a key player on the books.
Mark Gillespie
The former Carlisle stopper has not played a competitive game for Newcastle but Howe sees his contributions on the training pitch as vital. Gillespie, who also played for Motherwell earlier in his career, was on the bench for the Carabao Cup final in 2023.
Jamal Lewis
The Northern Ireland left-back has never had the door completely closed on him under Howe and has always been offered an opportunity. He played in the early days under the head coach but suffered injuries and was then loaned out to Watford.
Another injury nightmare suffered while on loan at Sao Paulo has resulted in Lewis returning to the club and being named in the squad for the second half of this season.
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