Newcastle told they should be happy to finish in mid-table despite transfer aims

Paul Merson has written off Newcastle's top-six hopes and claims the Toon Army should just be happy just to finish 10th next season.

Toon boss Eddie Howe has massive financial backing this summer and high hopes of making a big splash in the transfer window. But Merson reckons Newcastle fans shouldn't be getting too excited despite the growing list of names being linked with St James's Park.

Lille defender Sven Botman, Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope, Manchester United's Jesse Lingard and Manchester City's Nathan Ake are among those linked with a move to Tyneside. And Newcastle's ambitious owners want to make a push for the Champions League as they bid to join the footballing elite.

But former Arsenal and England man Merse reckons it's too soon to think Howe and company will be pushing for Europe next season. Writing in his Daily Star column, Merson said: "Newcastle should be happy finishing tenth next season if they can put together a good cup run as well.

"They have got to start turning up in the cup competitions because too many managers have mugged those off when they've gone there. Newcastle haven't won a trophy in so long and their fans need something to get excited about.

"But they need to be patient because they're not going to get into Europe next season. I was up in Newcastle the other day for a charity dinner and I talked to a lot of fans who think they will spend £150m and buy this player and that player.

"They've just got to buy right, spend steadily and patiently on the right sort of players and build it up slowly. If Newcastle finish 17th and won a trophy, you'd have to be happy with that as a Newcastle fan surely? But the one thing they all said to me when I was up there is they have got something now they haven't had in a long, long time, and that is hope. Good luck to them."

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Newcastle have also been linked with a swoop on Southampton for James Ward-Prowse, who is also a target for West Ham. But Merson wants his old club Arsenal to join the race for the England midfielder and claims he'd be ideal for the Gunners.

Merson said: "Arsenal cannot allow West Ham to buy James Ward-Prowse. I think he is a great signing for whoever gets him. I think he is one of the best passers of the ball in England. Him and Trent Alexander-Arnold see things few other English players do and they can spray it around the pitch because they have such a good range of passing.

"I don't understand why Arsenal are not pulling out all the stops to try and take James Ward-Prowse from Southampton. I think he's massively underrated. He could play for any of the top clubs. He would walk into the Manchester United team. He'd be perfect for them as well."