Dan Burn Targets European Return as Newcastle Enter New Era

Dan Burn has set Newcastle United the goal of returning to European competition as the club prepares to begin the season with a substantially changed squad. BBC Sport reported that the England defender, now Newcastle's captain, said the scale of the summer turnover made his return from a post-World Cup break feel like joining a new club. Newcastle completed their pre-season schedule with a 1-1 draw against Strasbourg.

Watch the highlights:

The changes followed the departures of manager Eddie Howe and senior players Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon. New head coach Matthias Jaissle has brought six staff members with him. Goalkeepers Lukas Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen, along with Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur and Bazoumana Toure, are among the young players Burn has been getting to know, while right-back Amar Dedic is expected to arrive from Benfica.

Despite predictions of a difficult campaign, Burn believes Newcastle can draw strength from being underestimated. He told BBC Sport that the team has often performed best with an "us against the world" outlook and when playing with an underdog mentality. His ambition is to lead the side back into Europe rather than accept a season defined only by transition.

That transition will require patience. BBC Sport noted that every incoming player is 24 or younger and none has previously played in the Premier League. Burn said he wants to embrace the changes and help the new arrivals understand the demands of representing Newcastle. Jaissle has described the captain as vital to guiding the younger members of the squad through this period.

The standards available to Newcastle's senior players are clear. The club qualified for the Champions League under Howe and ended a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the EFL Cup, although it finished 12th in the Premier League last season. Burn wants Newcastle to recover the competitive edge that once made opponents fear playing them, while acknowledging that rule changes have affected some of the tactics teams can use.

Newcastle's first league test will come against Liverpool at St James' Park on Sunday at 16:30 BST. The match will also feature a tribute to the late Kevin Keegan, who had major roles in Newcastle's history and played for Liverpool. Burn said he had lunch with Keegan at the end of May after receiving an invitation from the former Newcastle manager, describing him as a great person to be around. He added that neither the team nor the city would require extra motivation for the occasion.