The new Newcastle manager could have a summer kitty of over £100million to spend, according to the Daily Star.
In its report, it claims that Newcastle sources have said the money raised from the sale of Ayoze Perez to Leicester will be added to the £60m kitty that Rafa Benitez would have had to spend.
And the final amount could top £100million if Isaac Hayden is sold too, with the 24-year-old midfielder set to fetch another £15million.
Meanwhile, the shortlist for the new manager has been whittled down to four names: Mikael Arteta, Roberto Martinez, Sean Dyche and Patrick Vieira.
VERDICT
Benitez was adamant when he left Newcastle that it wasn’t about the money. In an honest interview with the Times he said that he had never asked for a specific amount to spend – reported to be £100million – and that he was “fine” if the budget was £50million. Benitez left because his vision wasn’t shared and because the club wanted to take control from him over incoming players. The new manager will presumably have to work under the same stipulations and that could mean the £100million, or whatever amount it turns out to be, isn’t really in the hands of the new manager. Or certainly, any players he wants to bring in would come under scrutiny and depend on approval from above. The pledge about the money has come from Lee Charnley but Newcastle fans will be sceptical until they see the signings coming in. We would be very surprised if Newcastle spend nine figures in total this summer. So far, no one has come in and the transfer window shuts in just over a month.