Newcastle WILL travel to Saudi Arabia for a training camp - but boss Eddie Howe still doesn't know if they will meet crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman after Amnesty International said the trip would just be a 'PR opportunity' for the club's new owners By Craig Hope for MailOnline Published: 10:52 GMT, 21 January 2022 | Updated: 11:00 GMT, 21 January 2022 Viewcomments Eddie Howe has confirmed that Newcastle United will travel to Saudi Arabia for a training camp during the winter break, but was unable to say if the team will meet leader Mohammed bin Salman. Sportsmail exclusively revealed last week that the squad would visit the Gulf state for the first time since being taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund, in a trip that is sure to attract criticism. Amnesty International have already said they fear the stay will turn into 'another PR opportunity for the Saudi authorities who are trying to sportswash their appalling human rights record'. Eddie Howe has confirmed that his Newcastle squad will travel to Saudi Arabia at the weekend Newcastle will head to Saudi Arabia for the first time this month since their £305m takeover Howe could not confirm if they will meet Saudi officials such as Bin Salman and PIF governor and Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan. But the head coach said: 'The plan is to go away (after Leeds game on Saturday), I think it's vitally important. I'll talk about COVID, in respect that a lot of the protocols you have around the training ground are encouraging isolation, quite rightly to protect everybody. 'But it doesn't help you to foster a team spirit and the togetherness we're going to need in the battle to stay in the division. 'So I think it's important that we encourage that unity, going away is a great idea. It'll be a work training camp - we will be training and working and playing a game. So I think it's vitally important that people know we're going to be very active.' PIF governor and Magpies chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan (centre left) could meet the team It is not known if Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, will meet the team The team will fly to Jeddah on Sunday before spending next week in Saudi, and Howe said: 'I think the travel is manageable. The distances aren't too far. 'We're quite comfortable with the travelling and the effects that will have on the players. We have quite a big gap before our next game. 'I think it's a worthwhile exercise. The facilities will be first class and we'll be well looked after. In terms of Covid, everything will be very tight. We will try to look after everybody, do some good work and come back a united squad.' Pressed on the controversy of such a trip given Saudi's human-rights record, Howe said: 'It's a football decision. We are doing it for the benefit of the players in our desire to stay in the division, that's my only thought. 'There will be no distraction from my side. It's about making sure the players are focused on the next game.' Howe, meanwhile, has spoken of his frustration after a week in which Newcastle's hierarchy have failed to land transfer targets such as Manchester United's Jesse Lingard and Sevilla defender Diego Carlos. 'It's been a slightly frustrating week for us in the transfer market,' he said. 'We're working against a deadline and desperately trying to improve the squad. But it's been a fruitless search this week. 'There's a very difficult combination this January. Add Covid into the mix and clubs are reluctant to lose players in case of an outbreak. 'The takeover would also have elevated expectation in terms of what Newcastle can pay. So it's been a very difficult window. I don't anticipate that changing. But we will be trying to add to the squad right until the last day.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility