For all the progress Newcastle United have so far made in the new era, there is still plenty to come.
Evolution both on and off the field will be fascinating to watch, both in terms of which players arrive and what kind of project they will be offered.
Indeed, thoughts (and, at this stage, that’s all they are) of a new training ground, new sponsorship deals to loosen FFP restrictions and other big reforms are hugely exciting.
In order to scale such lofty heights, however, there’s going to need to be a lorry load more investment. While ambition is all well and good, someone has to pay for it.
To that end, there could soon be some promising developments.
Newcastle to review wage structure
According to The Chronicle, the club will likely review their wage structure in the coming weeks and months.
While Newcastle were said to have been reluctant to do so last summer, the fact they have been challenging for the top four and reached the Carabao Cup final could see it reviewed.
A necessary step but something difficult to manage
At some point, the club were always going to have to up their wages. Without that, it’s pretty obvious that the kind of players who will be of interest to Newcastle would be tempted by more money elsewhere.
Still, it does not look like an easy process to manage. Keeping current players happy while shopping in more expensive markets seems far from a simple task, after all.
While it’s all well and good to pump more money, there’s a balance that must be struck.
So far, PIF have proven they are not willing to overpay. This, as promising as it is, naturally changes matters.