Newcastle are now actually reluctantly considering selling ‘exceptional’ player this summer

Though there has been talk of a big rebuild, it remains to be seen the extent FFP restrictions have on plans to revamp Eddie Howe’s squad.

Indeed, the Newcastle manager has already suggested the summer window will be “difficult”, albeit he’s never likely to sit there and say the club are going to splash lots of cash.

Unable to sign anyone in January, the prospect of selling a key player in order to raise cash was raised then.

The hope, of course, is that neither Alexander Isak or Bruno Guimaraes will be sold. Isak has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay at St James’ Park, as of course has Guimaraes.

The complication, however, is that Guimaraes has a release clause in his contract.

Still, Newcastle may have now come across a way to raise significant money without selling either of those two players, albeit they may have stumbled across that somewhat reluctantly.