Eddie Howe forced into Newcastle United transfer sacrifice ahead of season-opener with Aston Villa

Newcastle United are set to commission a big sale ahead of their Premier League opener with Aston Villa next month.

Fans will already be getting excited about the new season, especially after Sunday night, when we were given a taste of how entertaining Villa’s first game of the season may be. Unai Emery’s men played out a 3-3 draw with Newcastle in the United States, and the two teams will go at it again to kick off their Premier League campaigns at St James’ Park in around three weeks.

Ahead of that date, both teams have been busy in the transfer window, with Villa snapping up Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans so far this summer.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have spent big on Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes, but the Tyneside club haven’t had it all their way. Newcastle have spent big over the last couple of years in a bid to convert themselves into one of the big six regulars with their new wealthy owners.

But they must now cut their cloth accordingly in a bid to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations, and that means Eddie Howe must compromise in selling some players he doesn’t want to sell. One of those players is Allan Saint-Maximin, who now looks set to join Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli on a deal worth around £30million.

Howe all-but confirmed the news in a recent statement, saying: “The likelihood is that he will leave. We are governed on the same rules like every other Premier League club in regard of deals.

“We will, I’m sure, fit every criteria needed to make sure the deal is above board and done properly. I’m sure it will satisfy the Premier League.” That will be a blow for Newcastle, though, the Magpies will still feel as though they have improved this summer given the big-money signings of Tonali and Barnes.