Reports have emerged in Spain alleging that Newcastle’s would-be new owners have already identified the audacious signing they want to coincide with, and auspiciously mark, their £300m arrival on Tyneside.
This would probably come as a great surprise and its veracity is questionable but Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims the Saudis have earmarked Phillipe Coutinho as their prized target as the piece claims they see the Brazilian, who’s expected to leave Barcelona soon after a difficult spell at the Nou Camp, as the ‘flagship of their new project‘.
Coutinho is said to be keen on a return to the Premier League following a stunning 5-year spell with Liverpool between 2013 and 2018, however the same report states that Chelsea, Spurs and Everton are also keen to collar him.
While this could be just outlandish talk until a takeover is officially announced, it’s still not unreassonable start getting used to being linked with big names given that Staveley and the Saudis clearly have big plans and really deep pockets.
After years of scrounging around in the bargain basement looking for cheap acquisitions under Mike Ashley, it would certainly be nice to actually believe Newcastle could soon have an outside chance to court the game’s big names via wealthy owners with grand ambitions.