With the clock ticking inexorably down to Deadline Day and Newcastle still desperate to get new recruits in the door, fans who have spent the past few months crowing about the wealth of their new Saudi owners now seem weirdly surprised by the notion that clubs who currently employ players they are interested in might want to take them for a ride.
Eddie Howe has insisted the club will “draw a line” on prospective deals if they feel they are being rinsed by opportunistic rivals, in a stance likely to be tested to within an inch of its life over the next few days. But, for now, it seems they have abandoned all hope of bringing Jesse Lingard to St James’ Park for the remaining six months of his contract because they feel Manchester United are taking massive liberties by asking for a £10m loan fee.
