Pochettino receives £64m Chelsea transfer justification from Eddie Howe

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has delivered his Chelsea prediction for the Premier League season ahead before taking on Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues in a pre-season friendly. The two English teams are set to collide in Atlanta, Florida in the Premier League Summer Series days after Chelsea beat Brighton 4-3 in their tournament opener.

Throughout the USA pre-season tour, Pochettino has offered chances to the likes of Angelo Gabriel, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ian Maatsen, Malo Gusto, Diego Moreira, Cesare Casadei and Andrey Santos. Those decisions to play younger players looks set to continue on Wednesday when Chelsea take on Newcastle.

Mykhailo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson also impressed in the seven-goal thriller against Brighton as the duo combined to score a delightful goal. Christopher Nkunku was also on the score sheet with Pochettino suggesting the upcoming campaign will see a new leaf turn over after the Blues’ goal scoring difficulties last season.

“It’s a new start,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday when asked about his strikers gaining confidence. “We cannot think in the past. It’s a new start: new energy, atmosphere and dynamic. We have players that can score goals. In the last two games, we have scored goals. The offensive players need to score goals to build their confidence and we need to support them.”

That new start has coincided with eight players arriving through the door at Stamford Bridge with Alex Matos and Ishe Samuels-Smith to be part of the Under-21 squad, while Dujuan Richards and Kendry Paez will join in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Those signings are all ones for the future but that could also be said about the additions of Jackson, Moreira and Gabriel, despite the fact they are in Pochettino’s first-team plans. Christopher Nkunku will also be included in those but at 25 and after costing Chelsea £52million, that was a guarantee. However, all but four of the remaining seven summer signings made were free transfers with Jackson costing Chelsea £30million, Paez £17.3million, Gabriel £13million and Samuels-Smith at £4million.

READ MORE:Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: Moises Caicedo bid, Mohammed Kudus deal, Kylian Mbappe decision

Ahead of facing Chelsea’s new-look side, Howe has delivered a brief but exciting message of what to expect at Stamford Bridge this season and for the future following the transfer decisions made in west London.

“I think Chelsea will be very strong this year,” he said. “They’ve got a top manager and top players. They’ve gone very young in the transfer market but those players will improve.”

Which of the following prospects would you like to see in the first team, or loaned out for experience? Swipe to have your say…

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