Former Newcastle defender Aaron Hughes says that the club have got everything they need to compete at the top of English football.
The Magpies were missing from the Premier League last season due to relegation, but manager Rafael Benitez led his side to the title to secure automatic promotion at the first time of asking.
The Spanish boss was a surprise appointment back in 2016, and many more would have been surprised when he chose to stay on at the club despite being unable to secure their top flight survival.
Now, with the 57-year-old at the helm, former Magpie Hughes believes that the club have everything they need to progress to competing at the very top.
He told the Chronicle: “They should be competing towards the top end of the Premier League – they’ve got everything, including the manager now, to be doing that.
“They have the fans, they have the stadium, they have the football-mad city.
“It’s a great team to play for and it’s a great city to be living in because the excitement and buzz around the place is huge.
“They’re back there where they belong, they’re back there as a Premier League club like they should be.”
Hughes came through the youth ranks at St James’ Park, making his debut in 1997 on the way to 279 appearances across all competitions, including two stints in the Champions League.
He also has earned himself 107 caps for Northern Ireland, and, despite being 37-years-old, is still playing in the top flight of Scottish football for Heart of Midlothian.
He came up against his former side on Friday night in a pre-season friendly, and he said that the quality showing in Newcastle’s side demonstrates that they are a top class side.
“You don’t come up against that quality all the time up here in Scotland,” Hughes told the Chronicle.
“They showed just why they are now a Premier League team in the first 10 to 15 minutes – particularly with their touch.
Newcastle kick off their Premier League campaign with a home match to last year’s runners-up Tottenham, who the Magpies hammered 5-1 in their last top flight fixture back in May 2016.