As intense as last summer's transfer window was for Newcastle, there could be even more transfer activity in the coming months as such a rebuild is going to require smart trading, given the financial rules in place.

A theory has been put forward externally that Newcastle would benefit from dropping out of European football, as it would enable the club to spend up to 85% of their football-related revenue and net profit/loss from player sales under the Premier League's new squad cost regulations, as opposed to 70% for those competing in Uefa's competitions.

But that isn't the view inside St James' Park because Uefa's football earnings rule runs over a three-year period, so those accounts would still have to be submitted to European football's governing body, if Newcastle were to qualify the following season.

If Newcastle were to push against the guardrails this summer, they would be in danger of a breach down the line. Therefore, the need to raise funds to reinvest is crucial, as the club look to learn from last summer's lessons, widen their recruitment network and adopt an even more data-informed approach.

Such a shift to a more strategic trading model will not necessarily come as news to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle's majority owners, who the club's hierarchy speak to every day.

But chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan's latest visit to Newcastle feels significant, particularly at a time when a number of other PIF investments are being scaled back.

Senior club figures believe the fund remains engaged, with a substantial capital investment in the pipeline.