At what point do Newcastle become a serious transfer target competitor? If they finish top 4 and want to make a statement? We don’t usually enter bidding wars but what if they start one? I think he’d choose us but the day players choose them for money may come.
Good question, all we can say is the way Newcastle have conducted themselves so far is not to go for marquee signings. The closest they got was Tripper. But it is working for them.
I think, pragmatically, they'll continue to go for players a step down but with the ability to improve, rather than go all in on one player, as it's what they need. They've recruited very well and mostly not had their pants pulled down. They'd know that entering the Bellingham race means the price is immediately north of €105m. Not many clubs can splash that kind of cash on a player and already have what we have in terms of talent.
Us, we just need the odd player here and there, but it has to be a top player or one who can reach the top very quickly. We can look at a €100m fee for a player and, if we want it enough, pay it. We get him then we're good for a title charge. We don't get him, we're still going for that title.
For Newcastle that outlay would be a big gamble, it restricts their ability to strengthen elsewhere significantly for a team that wasn't a contender last season and with just a few additions and a purple patch, is looking good right now but with no guarantees. For the player too, if the team isn't successful or doesn't recruit correctly elsewhere then their stock drops and years are wasted.
Newcastle will get there, not in time to be an option for Bellingham, but when they do and the prize money and status of European football justify bigger wages and spend, it will be very interesting and probably at someone else's expense.
When that situation arises, all we can do is ensure we remain competitive year on year, and then possibly take a leaf out of Real's book and play the 'established giant with mega stars you could line up with' card. FFP means it's unlikely we'd be much surpassed on the financials by Newcastle if at all, so it comes down to the club, the city and the project.