Over the weekend, the Magpies might clinch a Champions League spot.
Eddie Howe has acknowledged that Newcastle would require two equally strong starting lineups to handle the demands of European competition next season.
The Magpies beat Brighton 4-1 on Thursday night in the Premier League, securing at the very least a Europa League campaign. If they win one of their final two games of the current season—which continues on Monday with struggling Leicester's visit to St. James' Park—they will play in the Champions League.
Howe, who has been given permission to spend more than £250 million to date, was asked what that would mean for the summer transfer window and responded, "It's a fantastic question. We must ascertain that.
The importance of rotation will increase if your team is strong. Utilizing the entire squad and rotating players will both be crucial.
"Since we have only participated in one competition—the cup run, of course—we haven't felt the need to consistently do that. We have rotated to some extent, but perhaps not as much as we might need to do next year.
"The squad needs to be strong enough if you're going to do that, so if you put out two XIs, they're of equal strength."
Howe's present roster may be tested on Monday night, when his midfield resources will be severely depleted following an exhausting match against the Seagulls.
With two games left, the Magpies worry Joe Willock's hamstring injury, which forced him to be helped off the field, will ruin his season. Bruno Guimaraes has been dealing with an ongoing ankle issue for some time.
During his pre-game press conference, Howe stated: "Today, to be honest, I'll be going straight to the physio room after this to see how everyone is. We have a few worries.
"I just hope there aren't any significant ramifications. The guys gave so much yesterday to the game and to the season physically.
As I sit here, Joe Willock appears to be having difficulty with his hamstring, and we could lose him for the season. I'm crossing my fingers that our team will remain solid.
Even the legendary Brazilian Joelinton is experiencing the repercussions of a difficult season after exerting himself to exhaustion for the benefit of the team.
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