Newcastle are finally back after what feels like an endless three-week break, heading to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace. That time off might have given everyone a chance to catch their breath, but let’s be honest, the break just stirred up more questions and a bit of restlessness around the club.

It’s been three weeks since that heavy loss to Sunderland at St James' Park. Now, Newcastle have to put the pieces back together as they travel to South London and try to get their season back on track. They’re still four points from a European spot, and with only seven games left, closing that gap is pretty much a must if they want to play European football next year.

But rumours are circling about Eddie Howe’s future hard to imagine when you remember he ended a 70-year trophy drought and took Newcastle to the Champions League twice. Still, this year’s Premier League run has people asking tough questions. Right now, Newcastle sit 12th, and, excuses aside, nobody at the club thinks that’s good enough, given their ambitions and the squad they’ve put together.

Last week, CEO David Hopkinson didn’t exactly clear things up about Howe. While it sounds like Howe still has support from the top, everyone knows these next seven games are crucial. Hopkinson also hinted that the club is more open to selling a key player this summer if the right offer comes. No dragging out any deals like Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool last year.

Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali might be the biggest targets. Livramento still hasn’t signed a new contract, something Ross Wilson flagged as a priority months ago, and both Manchester City and Arsenal are watching him closely. Tonali, meanwhile, reportedly has interest from Manchester United and others. There’s also noise around Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, and Lewis Hall, but if the club offloads anyone big, Livramento and Tonali seem most likely.

That makes Newcastle’s summer plans even more interesting. They’re eyeing a keeper, a right-back, a midfielder, and a forward. Sunday's lineup against Palace might tell us something about what’s coming. Kieran Trippier already announced he’s leaving, so if he starts over Livramento, it might give away some of the club’s thinking.

On top of that, Newcastle could finally have six fit midfielders again if Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Miley return. If Tonali gets left out of the midfield, that might say something about his future, too.

These last seven matches are all about staying locked in. Newcastle have to get everyone pulling in the same direction if they want to chase down those European places. Any off-field distractions need to get out of the way. Now’s not the time to lose focus.

Borussia Dortmund’s managing director, Lars Ricken, isn’t entertaining any rumours about a move for Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade this summer. When asked, he shut things down quickly: “That’s the first I’ve heard of it. No truth to it.”

These rumours started popping up after German reporters suggested Serhou Guirassy could leave Dortmund, with both Woltemade and Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani mentioned as possible replacements.

Guirassy has been making headlines himself. Over the last two seasons, he’s turned into one of Europe’s most talked-about strikers, 21 Bundesliga goals in 30 games last season, followed by 18 more across all competitions this year. There’s talk of a €35 million release clause in his contract, but Ricken insists he’s not going anywhere. “We hear every transfer window that he might leave, and he’s still here,” he said. “It’s my wish, and the wish of Ole Book and Niko Kovac, that Serhou stays with us this summer. He feels right at home, and we have zero intention of letting him go.”

Now, about Woltemade, his first season at Newcastle has been a bit of a rollercoaster. He made a quick impact with seven goals before Christmas after joining from Stuttgart, but it’s been a dry spell since December 20, when he scored against Chelsea. Lately, he’s found himself deeper in midfield rather than leading the line, something he touched on while away with the German national team last week.

When pressed about his lack of goals recently, Woltemade didn’t seem rattled. “I don’t see this as negative as some people do. For me, it’s just a normal period,” he said. “People look at the stats and see I’ve only scored once since the new year and wonder what’s up. But anyone watching closely knows I’m playing a completely different position than I did at the start. Against Chelsea, I spent most of the match in midfield, tracking Cole Palmer. You connect me with scoring, but you can’t compare a striker’s goal tally to that of someone playing 50, 60, or 70 meters away from the opponent’s goal. I’m a different Nick Woltemade now and should be judged on things like how I win my duels or cover my spaces.”

He went on: “Things started well for me up front in those first few months, but then we had a few changes. Bruno Guimaraes, our playmaker, has been out and after that, a few other midfielders, too. We’re a team here, not just individual players. Sometimes you have to fill in where you’re needed. I’ve dropped deeper and, honestly? I think I’ve done all right. The coach is happy, even if he does wish for a bit more punch in attack. Luckily, we’ve got Anthony Gordon to bring that for us.”