Eddie Howe refuses to rule out big-name Newcastle departures in candid conversation about Financial Fair Play pressure

Eddie Howe refused to rule out big-name departures at Newcastle as the club feel the pressure of Financial Fair Play.

The Magpies manager's comments come after CEO Darren Eales revealed that they may have to sell star talent to comply with strict financial rules.

Newcastle announced losses of £73.4million in their latest financial results, with Eales hinting that every player has a price tag due to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Top-flight clubs are forbidden from posting deficits of £105m or more over three years — and Newcastle enter the final year of that cycle having lost £150m.

Speaking exclusively to Jim White for talkSPORT, Howe echoed Eales' comments about how the club are likely to behave in upcoming transfer windows.

«Yeah I knew that Darren was going to speak to the media regarding our financial situation because our accounts were released yesterday,» Howe said.

«I don't think there's any surprise in that because every football club will have to trade now with Financial Fair Play being such a prominent part of football.

»So selling players and trading is part of what every football club is going to have to do and we're no different. So whether it's our top players as you quote, that remains to be seen but selling players and trading will be part of football going forward now I think."

White suggested Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes or Sven Botman as potential players who could be sold, and asked if such sales would be replaced with similar big names should they happen.

«It's difficult to comment on individual players,» Howe responded as his club prepare for what could be a busy summer of transfer activity.

«But as I said, player trading, if you look at Manchester City, Arsenal, etc, they've all