James Maddison will doubtless be picking Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier's brains while on international duty in the coming days. In fact, the Newcastle United target probably has already.
Maddison will want to know more about the intensity of Eddie Howe's sessions and the club's ambitions, but, in truth, the Leicester City star is clued up on life at St James' Park. Having taken in St James' in all its glory on a pre-match walkabout last month, Maddison personally witnessed the stadium erupt a couple of hours later after Newcastle qualified for the Champions League following a goalless draw against his Leicester City side.
Maddison had previously played at the arena on a number of occasions, but this? This was on a whole new level.
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Former Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy rightly pointed out on talkSPORT this week that 'from a footballing perspective', Maddison would choose to join Newcastle over the Londoners, who have endured their worst season in 14 years. Forget the Champions League - Spurs will not be able to offer the England international any European football whatsoever.
A move to Spurs still has its attractions, of course, namely the club's state-of-the-art infrastructure, and Murphy went as far as to say: "As a location, most people would favour London than Newcastle. It's not against Newcastle. It's just the way it is."
Ah, that old chestnut. You readers do not need any reminding of the wonders of Newcastle and the North East's best kept secrets. Neither do those outsiders who have long settled in the region - who Murphy appears to have forgotten.
Bruno Guimaraes did not hold out for a summer move to Arsenal when the Brazil international decided to join relegation-threatened Newcastle in January, 2022. Kieran Trippier was willing to swap life in the Champions League with Atletico Madrid for a survival bid in order to return to the north of England. Sven Botman, effectively, chose Newcastle over AC Milan.
In fact, long before the takeover, Callum Wilson had the chance to move closer to home to the Midlands after Aston Villa also had a bid accepted by Bournemouth for the number nine three years ago. However, Wilson, tellingly, plumped to relocate to Tyneside.
The quartet have all since spoken about how much they enjoy living in the region and, if you go back further, Londoners Rob Lee, Les Ferdinand and Warren Barton experienced some of the best moments of their lives - let alone their careers - during their time in Newcastle. Olivier Bernard, John Anderson and Malcolm MacDonald are just some of those former players who still live in the region.
Even Eddie Howe, who is rarely spotted away from the training ground, has been keen to experience the beauty of the coast incognito with his family.
"We are very proud to be associated with the city," the Newcastle boss previously told reporters. "I think it's a brilliant place to live. Take away the football side, my evidence of being around the people, you've got to embrace everything about Newcastle to play and give your best for the club."
There is no doubt Maddison would do just that if he decides to move to a football-mad city. Maddison is similarly obsessed with the game - to the point where he has his own purpose-built pitch in his back garden - and it is football rather than geography that has governed his moves in the past.
After all, Maddison has not exactly rushed to the bright lights over the years, leaving hometown club Coventry City for Norwich City in 2016 before going on to prove himself 514 miles away on loan at Aberdeen. Maddison's next stop after Norwich? Leicester City, where the father-of-one has spent the last five years.
Maddison has won the FA Cup and Community Shield at Leicester and played in the Europa Conference League semi-finals but, even if the Foxes had stayed up on the final day, the 26-year-old will have wanted more as he approaches his peak years. Given the direction Newcastle are heading, Maddison could realise those ambitions on Tyneside - rather than the capital.
