Newcastle United kicked off this summer's transfer window with the official sale of striker Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest.
Following his loan spell, and the sale that was triggered last term, the fee of £15 million has now gone through following the opening of the new transfer window. Wood's sale, which was always on the cards after he made the required number of appearances in a Forest shirt before getting injured, boosts Eddie Howe's coffers for transfers with Newcastle keeping their cards close to their chest on how much is available to spend.
Wood's official exit went through at midnight but with 80 shopping days left before the window shuts on September 1, more departures are expected from Benton. Newcastle have to box clever with FFP rules which leaves their spending capacity still flexible.
Howe is still hopeful of a deal or two before the players return for the first day of pre-season testing and training in the first week of July. Yet the head coach and sporting director Dan Ashworth know that patience is the watchword in the next fortnight or so.
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Newcastle have been far from idle in the window but have been quoted a clutch of high valuations on certain targets and know that things will start moving in the coming weeks and months. The James Maddison deal remains around the discussion table with Leicester City hoping for a fee of up to £60million.
Although, Newcastle are being kept right up to speed by Maddison's representatives on Leicester's stance with Tottenham Hotspur also waiting in the wings. The latest name from Italy to be linked with Newcastle is AC Milan's defensive midfielder Sandro Tonali.
However, Tonali - linked in the Daily Mail - is valued at around £45million and will be on Italy duty at the Under-21 European Championships in the next few weeks. Howe has had dozens of names put to him since the season finished but is working off a list put together by he and his backroom team and scouts Andy Howe and Steve Nickson.
Meanwhile, Norwich City are understood to have put in an enquiry for Scotland international Ryan Fraser. The ex-Bournemouth man fell out of favour with Howe and was sent to train with the reserves during the winter.
