- Newcastle United finish Premier League season at Fulham
- Why there is plenty for Magpies to play for
- Eddie Howe must find motivation in prize money
Newcastle United’s attention this week seems to be anywhere but centred on Fulham on Sunday. With fewer than 48 hours until the curtain call on the season, much of the focus is on the World Cup and the summer transfer window.
It’s not just the Magpies who are occupied with stories away from the final day of the season on Friday, with Thomas Tuchel announcing his England squad.
Eddie Howe has also once again had to face questions over the future of Anthony Gordon, as transfer links with Bayern Munich continue to swirl. The former Everton man could make his final Magpies appearance on Sunday, but has not been handed minutes by Howe in weeks.
Newcastle United have £5 million to play for against Fulham
At first glance, Newcastle may have fairly little to play for against Fulham on Sunday afternoon. The Magpies are just three points off Chelsea in eighth and the poisoned chalice of Europa Conference League qualification.
However, Chelsea face Sunderland this weekend, and all possible outcomes of that match make it impossible for the Magpies to secure a Conference League spot.
Instead, Howe and his side must focus on the Premier League prize money available. There is significant revenue at stake at Craven Cottage.
The Magpies are currently in 11th place and could finish as high as 9th if they beat Marco Silva’s side. The Cottagers themselves could leapfrog Newcastle, Everton and Sunderland with a home win.
Football365 provided a breakdown of the Premier League prize money handed out last season, and it is certainly food for thought ahead of the weekend.
If Newcastle had finished 11th last season, the club would have pocketed £26.5 million in prize money, which was taken by Everton. In 9th place, Chelsea banked £31.9 million.
That £5.4 million difference is not to be sniffed at. Newcastle are already known to be in the precarious position of needing to sell before they buy this summer and, in a week when a combined £55 million investment into Leazes Terrace, St James’ Park and the training ground has been confirmed, all income matters.
Let’s finish strong, Eddie
It is, of course, more glamorous for fans to think of that extra £5.4 million as potentially the difference in a transfer race. Newcastle are said to be battling Liverpool for the signing of both Lamine Camara and Ousmane Diomande, for example.
Speaking ahead of the game, Howe said: “We hope to continue the upturn in our recent performances, upturn in our in-possession play. We want to end the season on a high; it is an important match for us.”
It certainly is, Eddie. A strong finish would bring a feel-good factor for the summer and, most importantly, some extra spending power.
In other news, Anthony Gordon shares 14-word England message as Newcastle United teammate snubbed.
