Newcastle United chiefs are staying cool when it comes to the summer transfer window despite the Sven Botman saga going into extra time.
And the official message - as co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi took to social media - to come from the boardroom this week was: "Patience is a virtue". Although, there is plenty of trust in the new board and fans are simply happy to see the club showing ambition and being active in the transfer window.
Botman has been made an excellent off by the Magpies but continues to mull over his next move with AC Milan still effectively still in the race to sign him. But something will have to give at some stage with Lille wanting a fee for the Dutch centre-back and sufficient time to land a replacement.
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At the Newcastle end, they are calmly waiting for the situation to unfold but have their own, well scouted and well researched back-up options in place, and while only Matt Targett has been signed so far on a permanent basis from Aston Villa, that doesn't mean work is going on behind the scenes.
Indeed, while the construction workers are working away at the club's soon-to-be revamped Benton base, Chronicle Live understands that the small portacabin - where the scouts have spent the last few years compiling a list of targets - is still in full operation. United are prepared for every possibility this summer - and have the funds ready to go to make deals happen.
In any case, while deals are being done in June, it is July that is expected to be the key month for Newcastle United this summer. It doesn't mean further transfers won't be done in the remaining days of this month, but the bulk of the work is expected in July.
Ideally, Howe likes to get business done early in order that players are ready on day one of pre-season training.
But Howe, who will soon be back from a well-deserved holiday, understands the complexities of this particular window. This window was always going to be tricky at times and that's exactly what has been proved so far.
Newcastle have had new owners since October when Mike Ashley finally left the building and handed the keys to Amanda Staveley and the Middle East consortium. But in terms of luring bigger names to the club, the Newcastle project, just eight months in, is still very much in its infancy.
Howe has a plan to improve the squad he inherited with four or five new faces that will help plot Newcastle's journey from relegation battlers into a top 10 side for the 2022/23 season. The former Bournemouth boss was eager to ensure the squad did not lose identity hence the new deals for local lads like Sean Longstaff and Paul Dummett earlier this year.
Yet there is also an acceptance that Newcastle must improve in key areas and that's why United haven't panicked in June. With Botman taking his time to make a decision, the club have been offered a number of alternative players by agents who know they are waiting on the Dutchman.
Howe's policy though, fully backed by new sporting director Dan Ashworth, is not just to simply fill a slot in his squad. The skill-set and character of the player has to be right for the project.
Newcastle got the job done with a clutch of additions in January and they are expected to have another impressive window again this time around.
