Newcastle United's refusal to give up on Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby is a timely reminder of the club's newfound status as the Magpies target one of Europe's hottest prospects.
After already signing Nick Pope, Matt Targett and Sven Botman, Eddie Howe would ideally like to bring in a wide forward and striker this summer and Diaby is someone who has been well-liked by the coaching staff and recruitment team alike for some time. It is easy to see why. As well as being rapid, Diaby is a real game-changer in the final third and the forward was directly involved in 32 goals for Leverkusen last season.
It is important to stress, though, that Diaby is content at Leverkusen and, with three years left to run on his contract, the Bundesliga giants are under no immediate pressure to sell the France international - particularly after qualifying for the Champions League. However, Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen's sporting director, admitted just last week that 'when clubs with incredibly large financial opportunities bid for such a player, we have to sell a top player at some point'.
READ MORE: Newcastle change has alerted opposition coaches after 'unbelievable' additions and more planned
Although it is still hard to envisage Newcastle stumping up the £55m-£60m Leverkusen want for Diaby, tellingly, Eddie Howe's side have not walked away just yet as the Magpies target another top talent on the continent who could grow with the club.
Newcastle do not have European football to offer, but Howe's side are able to sell a different sort of dream and journey to targets like Diaby. Sven Botman, for instance, who could have held out for Serie A champions AC Milan, said it was a 'project that's really looking bright to the future'. The highly-rated Dutchman, ultimately, saw himself 'growing with the club' to 'reach the top'.
In fact, Botman was so keen on a move to St James' Park that the centre-back had previously been willing to swap life in the Champions League with Lille for an immediate relegation battle with Newcastle in January - just as Kieran Trippier did after leaving Atletico Madrid. Trippier, like Botman, cited 'the project'.
Another international who arrived in the mid-season window was Bruno Guimaraes, who spoke of how Newcastle are 'definitely going to be a club that is going to be a big power in world football' at his unveiling. Bruno, like Botman, signed a long-term contract with Newcastle in the belief that the Magpies will one day be competing at the top end of the Premier League and in the Champions League, too.
That prospect feels a long way away yet, of course, but these players can clearly see the ambition of the club's owners to progress each year. In contrast, in the Ashley era, a move to Newcastle was sold as as a stepping stone to Yohan Cabaye et al and the black-and-whites struggled to keep hold of their best players.
The Premier League's top sides ultimately came in for Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Demba Ba (Chelsea) and Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal) when Newcastle were still in the division. Newcastle even lost Ayoze Perez to Leicester City at a time when the two clubs were moving in very different directions in 2019. Now it is Newcastle who have signed key players from Burnley (Chris Wood and Nick Pope) and Brighton (Dan Burn) in 2022, which would have been an unimaginable prospect not so long ago.
There will inevitably come a time when another club will come in for one of Newcastle's key players, but the final outcome is no longer a foregone conclusion like it was in the Ashley era. Quite the opposite in fact. The Magpies are no longer as vulnerable as, say, Leeds were when Man City came in for midfielder Kalvin Phillips or when Everton and Brighton lost Richarlison and Yves Bissouma to Spurs.
READ NEXT
Newcastle owners' stadium plan clear as thousands queue for pre-season tickets at St James' Park
Newcastle's training ground change already being felt after brutal Steve Bruce fitness truth
Jetro Willems opens up on Newcastle return and Sven Botman's choice
Exciting Newcastle playing style prediction made as Eddie Howe finally gets what he wanted
Sven Botman's perfect response to becoming Newcastle's most expensive defender
