Such are the kind of players Newcastle United are targeting this summer, signing them won’t be easy.
Indeed, back in the Champions League next season, expectation levels have raised at St James’ Park.
Newcastle will be attempting to fight in four competitions next season and, to do so, it is hardly outrageous to suggest Eddie Howe’s squad need reinforcement.
Given the amount of money the club supposedly have, as well as their burning ambition to win major trophies, the kind of players linked with the club are of significant stature.
As such, beating other top clubs to their respective signatures won’t be easy.
Which brings us to Declan Rice.
Newcastle’s chances of signing Declan Rice getting smaller
The West Ham captain has been touted as an ambitious target for Newcastle.
Expected to leave east London despite their Europa Conference League win, the England international also has a lot of interest elsewhere.
According to The Guardian, it is Arsenal who have moved ahead in the race.
The Gunners are thought to have held positive talks with West Ham after they emerged as the most “aggressive” suitor.
Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester United are all thought to have now lost ground.
It was always going to be difficult to sign Declan Rice
While disappointing to hear Rice is unlikely to join, the chances of signing him always seemed somewhat remote.
Though Newcastle are an attractive destination given their present and indeed their future, the money involved never made sense.
Understood to have snubbed big wage offers at West Ham, the fact Newcastle are reportedly looking to keep their own pay structure in tact didn’t really tally.
While there was clear interest in the player – who was unsurprisingly hailed as “brilliant” by pundit Jamie Redknapp – the wages always looked somewhat prohibitive.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
