As the fifth anniversary of the takeover approaches in October, Newcastle clearly have work to do on and off the field. Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan set out to be "number one" while chief executive David Hopkinson's aim was to be "in the debate about being the top club in the world" by 2030. But Newcastle need the infrastructure to match.

An announcement is awaited on plans for a new training ground at Woolsington near Newcastle Airport, while the club weighs expanding St James' Park or building a new stadium to boost revenue. A £100m-plus net spend last summer yielded only defender Malick Thiaw as an unquestioned success, and a bruising 12th-placed finish saw them miss Europe.

After breaching UEFA's financial sustainability regulations, Newcastle entered a three-year settlement, necessitating sales of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur. Most damaging was Alexander Isak's £125m departure to Liverpool. The club are determined to keep captain Bruno Guimaraes, though his future is uncertain amid Arsenal interest.

Summer arrivals Ewen Jaouen, Sean Steur and Bazoumana Toure are all aged 20 and under, signalling a shift toward youth development. They have immense potential but need time — as does the project as a whole.