Eddie Howe has told his top stars that their ambition should be to play Champions League football at Newcastle - and not elsewhere.
With the Magpies fifth in the Premier League on the back of seven wins in eight matches, talk of returning to Europe’s elite competition has intensified in recent weeks.
That has also been to the backdrop of constant speculation over the future of the likes of Alexander Isak. Without Champions League football next season, there is a strong chance the striker could leave.
But Howe believes Isak and others such as Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali should want to achieve their goals at St James’ Park before anything else.