Simon Jordan could not see Jude Bellingham signing for a 'work in progress' club such as Newcastle United. The England wonderkid is expected to be the subject of a transfer tug of war between Europe's elite this summer.
Bellingham has emerged as a standout star for the Three Lions in the World Cup so far, and registered two assists in the knockout victory over Senegal. Having been a substitute throughout Euro 2020, the 19-year-old is now an indispensable member of Gareth Southgate's starting eleven.
Newcastle have spent in excess of £200 million since the Saudi-led takeover last October, and are not expected to repeat this spending in the upcoming transfer window. Recent reports suggest James Maddison remains a top target, although the Magpies may wait until the summer to revisit a move for the Leicester City playmaker.
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Jordan has often drawn the ire of the Toon Army in recent seasons, and declared the takeover 'deader than a dead thing from dead land' just days before it was finally approved. However, having initially cast doubts over the appointment of Eddie Howe, the talkSPORT pundit has praised the Magpies' rapid rise in recent months.
Newcastle have so far avoided superstar signings, instead favouring moves for emerging stars such as Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak. There has been no talk of Howe's side entering the race for Bellingham, and Jordan feels the Magpies are not yet in a position to convinced players of the midfielder's calibre to sign.
He told talkSPORT: "The narrative will be what is it Newcastle are going to do? Who is it Newcastle are going to buy? Could Newcastle be in the market for Jude Bellingham? Is he a viable candidate to go to Newcastle United?
"Why would Jude Bellingham go to a work in progress? I think there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip, and there's a long way to go. I think they've done remarkably well, most of the things they've done from the backroom appointments to the first-team selections, the first-team manager, and every aspect of the football club is working at a very high level now.
"The next thing is you have to translate that into something more tangible, and I think that's going to be something more difficult. I would be surprised to see Newcastle still occupying the place they're in at the end of the season, but if they do, brilliant.
"But Jude Bellingham has an embarrassment of riches, he hasn't got to go somewhere that's going to pour money in to get somewhere. He can go somewhere that's already done all that, and walk straight in to a side that's capable of winning the league.
"Now, you're going to say who says Newcastle aren't capable of winning the league? I think time will tell that at this moment in time, they're not at that level."
Liverpool and Manchester City are considered to be among the frontrunners for a summer deal for Bellingham, with PSG and Real Madrid also linked. Any deal is expected to cost in excess of £100m, and Jordan does not believes money will be a decisive factor for the Borussia Dortmund star when it comes to deciding upon his next step.
He added: "It won't be a money decision for Jude Bellingham because he won't become a successful pauper. Wherever he goes, he's going to be paid a king's ransom. If he's going for £130m, he's going to get £200,000, £300,000, or £400,000 per week as obscene as that will sound.
"I would be surprised, I don't see the step, I don't see why he'd go to Newcastle. It's one thing Kieran Trippier buying into the vision, it's another thing Isak coming over and buying into the vision.
"It's another thing for the most sought-after player in European football deciding at this stage that Newcastle is the right move. I might be wrong, but I suspect I'm not."
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