Eddie Howe believes Dan Burn was probably worth £30m rather than the £13m Newcastle paid for him when they brought him home from Brighton.

Burn was one of Howe’s first signings in January 2022 as the club’s new owners flexed their financial muscle for the first time and he has since become a key member of the team which won the Carabao Cup last season and is playing Champions League football for the second time in three years.

Howe hails Burn and says Newcastle got him on the cheap

Asked if the versatile England defender has proved to be worth every penny of his £13million fee ahead of Saturday’s trip to his former club, head coach Howe said after a pause:

Burn reported back from England duty dreaming of a trip to next summer’s World Cup but facing a gruelling schedule for his club, who have seven games in the space of 23 days before the next international break, starting with the trip to Brighton.

Howe shares Newcastle injury updates on star players

Howe, who welcomed the appointment of Ross Wilson as the club’s new sporting director, could have Jacob Ramsey back following his recovery from an ankle injury, while fellow midfielder Joelinton is expected to be fit after returning from his exertions with Brazil nursing a minor groin problem.

However, full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall and striker Yoane Wissa, who continues to work his way back from posterior cruciate ligament damage, are still out.

Joe Willock will be in the squad after finding himself at the centre of a viral social media hoax in which it was claimed he had to be rescued after getting lost in York Maze for six hours.

Asked if he had spoken to the midfielder about the story, Howe said with a smile: “Yes, I did discuss it with him – just to check whether it was true or not, probably like everybody else. Thankfully it wasn’t.

“Joe’s fine, he’s good. He’s got the ability to laugh with it rather than be concerned by it.”