Luke Edwards suggests Newcastle United could sell Harvey Barnes and sign replacement from PSV

Something has to change at Newcastle United with performances this season so far below par and a feeling that things have gone stale under Eddie Howe.

A lot of fingers have been pointed at the head coach, and they're not unwarranted, but there are other things at play that have hamstrung Eddie Howe along the way too.

Profit and Sustainability Rules have throttled all of the fun out of the Premier League and Newcastle have been badly affected by that.

It's nigh-on impossible to build up a squad capable of challenging for the title when you are forced to sell top players to fund new arrivals, even though your owners have probably lost more money down the back of their sofa than it would cost them to buy a new squad.

Newcastle may look to sell Harvey Barnes in January

Selling players is going to be a big priority in January with Miguel Almiron once again closest to the exit door. Hopefully this time he'll actually go trough it instead of clinging to the frame.

Another player Newcastle are expecting bids for, according to The Telegraph, is Harvey Barnes. The goal-scoring left-winger has only managed to carve himself a space in the squad as a super-sub, with Anthony Gordon preferred as the starter over the two left-wingers. Neither has shown much aptitude playing on the right, and with Joelinton and Alexander Isak both capable of playing on the left, Barnes could be a big-money move that unlocks some decent PSR headroom for the club.

The Magpies are desperate for a right-sided forward who can add similar quality down the opposite flank as Gordon does on the left and, while Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo remain high on the list, Newcastle are also looking at PSV's 21-year-old Belgian Johan Bakayoko.

Newcastle have been keeping tabs on Johan Bakayoko

Bakayoko was linked with Newcastle last month so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that there's solid truth in this rumour.

The Belgian has five goals and an assist in 14 Eredivisie appearances for PSV this season and has caught the eye of several clubs, but the Dutch side will be very reluctant to part with Bakayoko mid-season making a move in January unlikely.

The Telegraph don't mention a fee for Bakayoko but it's believed he would cost much less than the likes of Semenyo or Mbuemo.

Paul Mitchell is changing the transfer philosophy at Newcastle

Luke Edwards believes this is a sign that Newcastle are taking a different approach in the transfer market under Paul Mitchell.

No longer will the club focus on players with Premier League experience as a priority, instead looking for players with the right qualities who may be untested and therefore much cheaper.

It's a slightly riskier philosophy, but with PSR being the way it is, it absolutely makes sense to take those risks and hope we uncover a diamond in the rough.