Eddie Howe has a lengthy list of Plan As, Bs and Cs ahead of what will be another intriguing transfer window for Newcastle United.
Howe has already spoken openly about the type of template that the Magpies have been pushed to work from by declaring that unveiling a potential marquee signing is probably beyond them because of the FFP and PSR rules. But that doesn't mean United will not be looking for quality in a summer trading period that will dovetail with the return of Adidas and potentially more European revenue to pump into the coffers.
Before the window even swings open for business, Howe said: "Where we sit now in terms of wages and transfer fees, I don't think we are in a position to do that. We have to sign and develop players with the potential to become world class.
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"We are well on the way to doing that. It does not mean you can't have (world class) players in your squad it just means that you have to work really hard with them. I have no issue doing it."
That certainly lends itself to another possible arrival like Tino Livramento, a player who has Portugal and England fighting over him, or Lewis Hall, who is also deemed one of the bright young English stars of the future. Howe's transfer plans have been dramatically altered in the space of six or seven weeks after both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles were potentially ruled out of action until Christmas.
Newcastle can get by with Dan Burn at centre-back until the end of the season while Fabian Schar literally limps over the finishing line, but nobody in the recruitment block at Benton needs to be told that a centre-back must be on the wish-list this summer, possibly even two.
The midweek column inches and social feeds on the Newcastle beat were dominated by talk of the Magpies acquiring Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham and Lloyd Kelly from AFC Bournemouth - both on Bosman-style freebies. Kelly has been a name linked to Newcastle for a long time and there's certainly admiration from Howe on the player he signed from Bristol City during his Bournemouth days.
Adarabioyo is an obvious fit for Newcastle but we're at the time of year in which some agents know they essentially have a free advertisement for their clients. Both Kelly and Adarabioyo both have options and their eventual destinations will boil down to who is prepared to offer them the bulkiest contract.
Tosin is 26 and Kelly is 25, so their next move will be a key move and Newcastle, as Howe has already eluded to, don't have an endless wage budget with even Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes on modest wages compared to some of the Premier League's huge earners. Nevertheless, a centre-half is key and it is also believed that Newcastle's other big target is a winger which suggests that there could be a departure in that area.
However if, as assumed by some observers, that is supposed to be Miguel Almiron, that would be a hard sell for a player who has no interest in leaving. Almiron dismissed the idea of joining a Saudi Pro League club in January and has two years left on his current deal.
Either way at least two senior signings will be expected through the door this summer and there's plenty of scope for more given there could be some serious wheeling and dealing done. Howe has stated there won't be a major overhaul, but he will be keen to freshen things up and offer the squad more depth.
