Eddie Howe sends Newcastle PSR warning after being forced to offload star in ‘the last sale we wanted to make’ – as the Magpies boss looks to hold onto more academy players

Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle need to avoid falling into a PSR hole that forces them to sell star academy products like Lewis Miley.

The Magpies boss insists the club had no choice but to sell Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest last June. Without it, he says, they would have faced a Premier League points deduction for breaching spending rules.

Anderson has shone at the City Ground and there is lingering regret inside St James’ Park at the loss of the Geordie midfielder.

Howe understands that the nature of PSR means players such as Anderson and Miley are quick solutions to balance-sheet deficits, given the ‘pure profit’ they generate.

But the head coach does not want to see a repeat of the Anderson scenario. Rather, he wants to be able to build a team around the likes of midfielder Miley in the coming years.

‘The last thing we want to do, or I want to do as the manager of the club, is to sell academy products who have the potential to play for this team for many years,’ said Howe.

Elliot Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest with a points deduction looming, Howe insists

The likes of Lewis Miley (right) are important players that the club will want to hold onto

‘Elliot was a case in point – it was the last sale we wanted to make. We knew his qualities and he had just broken into the team towards the back end of last season. He had performed really well in a variety of roles for us.

‘But we were faced with literally no other option in that moment with 48 hours to go, we had to make a decision that we did not want to make. It will always be our last choice to do that. But, when you add up everything together and you go, ‘Well, it’s a points deduction and breaching PSR or making a sale, I think you have to make the sale’.’

Miley, 18, was man-of-the-match during Sunday’s 3-1 win over Bromley in the FA Cup. It was his first start since February after back and foot injuries. And, while he impressed operating in a deeper No.6 role, Howe believes it is too early to tie down the England Under-21 international to one position.

‘He is a bit of everything (No 6, 8 & 10),’ said Howe. ‘I wouldn’t want to label him as one position at the moment. He has played really well as a 6 and I loved him in that position on Sunday. He got a lot of the ball and took that responsibility excellently.

‘But he has the ability to play as an 8. When he played last year, the majority of the time he was the higher position. I remember him scoring and assisting. He’s certainly got great legs. What he has added in his time out is a bit more physicality, more power. His aerial ability is improving as well. He is very much an all-rounder who can do a bit of everything.’

Meanwhile, Howe has revealed that winger Harvey Barnes will be missing for a month with a thigh injury, but striker Alexander Isak is set to return to the starting XI for Wednesday’s visit of Wolves after a hamstring scare.