Leeds United official statement gives hint about Newcastle United's summer plans

The trip is yet to be announced by the club but will see Eddie Howe’s side train at the Adidas Headquarters in Herzogenaurach and play at least one friendly match around the weekend of July 20th. The Adidas Headquarters is currently in use by Euro 2024 hosts Germany.

And any friendly match Newcastle play in Germany will likely take place behind closed doors. A statement issued by Championship club Leeds United on Wednesday suggests that friendlies taking place in Germany after Euro 2024 have been ‘ordered’ to take place without fans in attendance.

An official statement issued by Leeds United read: “Leeds United can confirm the club will travel to Germany for a pre-season training camp ahead of the 2024/25 season.

“Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond control of the club, we have recently been informed that any friendly matches played in Germany have been ordered to take place behind closed doors.”

The Gazette understands that Leeds’ pre-season plans are not linked to Newcastle’s but Howe’s side will still have to follow the same guidance with any planned matches taking place behind closed doors.

Newcastle’s pre-season plans are yet to officially take shape with a trip to Japan the only confirmed fixtures taking place so far. The Magpies will be in Tokyo for two friendly matches against Urawa Red Diamonds at the Saitama Stadium on July 31 (11:30am kick-off BST) and Yokohama F. Marinos at the Japan National Stadium on August 3 (1pm kick-off BST).

The Sela Cup is set to return to St James’ Park on August 10 and August 11, a week before Newcastle’s 2024-25 Premier League opener at home to Southampton on August 17. Three yet-to-be-confirmed ‘European standard’ teams will join Newcastle in the pre-season competition.

Newcastle won the inaugural Sela Cup last summer ahead of Nice, Fiorentina and Villarreal.

The Magpies have played seven summer friendlies each pre-season they’ve had under Eddie Howe and are expected to continue that trend this summer.

Newcastle have opened both pre-seasons under Howe with a friendly against local non-league side Gateshead. The Magpies’ 3-2 win in front of 7,096 supporters is understood to have given Gateshead a six-figure financial boost ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

But the clubs have not been able to arrange a friendly match so far this summer. While Gateshead would understandably want Newcastle to return to the International Stadium, United’s preference would be to play behind closed doors as they did during the summer of 2022.

Championship side Hull City have also been identified as a potential friendly opponent for The Magpies next month. The prospective match would be played at Hull’s MKM Stadium and likely take place prior to the trips to Germany and Japan.