Eddie Howe warns Newcastle NOT to sell Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes this summer – and says losing their star players would knock them back ‘a considerable distance’

Eddie Howe says all of his planning for next season involves Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes – and has warned that to sell either player would set the club back ‘a considerable distance’.

The Newcastle boss is surprised at the speculation linking Isak to Arsenal and Guimaraes to Manchester City, among others. He, rather, insists the club is not in a position whereby they have to trade their star players.

‘I don’t know why that (richer clubs targeting Newcastle players) is so relevant or in the news as much as it is,’ said Howe.

‘I’m planning for them (Isak and Guimaraes) to be here. All my planning is with them in the squad. We’re looking to build a squad and a really successful team and, to do that, we don’t want to sell our best players. That is hugely important for us, it will knock us back some considerable distance because we would have to start again.

‘There is no weakness in the club to say we are going to sell anyone. But, of course, financial fair play is there and we’ll have to comply like everyone else. That’s why I’ve said this summer is going to be a very difficult thing to predict. But there is no desire from anyone at the football club to sell our best players.’

Bruno Guimaraes is one of the high-profile names that has been discussed as a possible sale

Alexander Isak (centre) has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park to Arsenal 

Howe believes that, with some smart additions this summer, his squad can continue to challenge at the top end of the Premier League. He does not want to enter a period of ‘rebuild’.

How hard is it, then, to maintain success if your best players are picked off?

‘It is, because you’re going through a process of rebuild, and that is very difficult to do at this level,’ said Howe. ‘You have to bring somebody in who is unproven, and you have to…