Newcastle United made it just 48 hours into the transfer window before they found themselves in the realms of fantasy football.
But within hours of a huge claim in Spanish title Marca that Portugal legend Ronaldo had a clause in his contract allowing to join the Magpies from Al-Nassr - if United qualify for the Champions League - reliable United sources dismissed it. There is, of course, no clause in the soon-to-be 38-year-old's deal that will set up a move to St James' Park.
Newcastle, backed by their Saudi-owners, are certainly ambitious but Ronaldo is not the type of signing they are currently interested in and United will spend the January window playing smart - as they did last winter and in the summer. Toon fans, who understand the club's policy since the takeover, would not need any type of assurances that an audacious move like Ronaldo isn't on the cards at the moment.
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For a start, at £173million per year, it is way off the wage scale as Newcastle try to progress gradually and maintain the healthy team spirit Eddie Howe started building last season. It's not just smart signings like Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope that have propelled the club into European contentions.
Howe has got Newcastle into a great position by good coaching getting the best out of inherited players such as Fabian Schar, Miguel Almiron and Sean Longstaff to name a few. When the takeover went through in autumn 2021, United were linked with all the big names from Kylian Mbappé downwards.
Agents came from far and wide to try their luck with co-owners Amanda Staveley, PIF and the Reuben family. But they soon found discovered that "silly money" was not doing the rounds on Tyneside.
When the asking prices for Diego Carlos at Sevilla last winter got ridiculous, Newcastle left the room. The same can be said for Botman at Lille, but knowing that the Dutchman wanted the move Newcastle offered the Ligue 1 club one last chance to get a fair price when AC Milan failed to walk the walk after talking the talk for months.
Howe was clear on transfers in early December as he told assembled journalists in Riyadh. Having landed £40million Botman and £63million Alexander Isak, he said: "In my position you are keen to sign the best players you can - but those players come at a premium, as you know.
"Botman wasn’t cheap, Alex wasn’t cheap. "Those are players who can influence the starting XI.
"Do we have the finances for that? I do not know. That might impact our options on that one."
And Financial Fair Play will have an influence on the current window too. Howe accepts that he may have to say goodbye to some of his squad with two or three departures possible.
But the squad will be freshened up if they do go. Howe certainly has his eye on some interesting targets
However, they are more likely to be of the ilk of a player like Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda. The 18-year-old flying full-back could be signed in a structured deal before being loaned back to the La Liga side.
That's the type of recruitment on the agenda for Newcastle, Steve Nickson, Dan Ashworth and Howe. As far as stories like the one that emerged from Spain last night on Ronaldo is concerned, it could be a long month on that score.
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