Pallotta interest is real while United look at talents in League One
NEWCASTLE United are making summer transfer plans despite the fact the club remains locked in a fight for survival and with takeover uncertainty still an issue.
Under-fire but seemingly safe boss Steve Bruce appears to be heavily involved and despite the likelihood of a tight budget, the Magpies continue to cast the net for encouraging prospects.
Sources in scouting circles claim United have watched Wolves defender Dion Sanderson, who is attracting rave reviews for his performances in League One with Sunderland.
Newcastle are not the only club watching Sanderson, who also spent a productive loan spell at Cardiff last season. Other Premier League clubs have been keeping an eye on a player whose contract runs out in 2022.
Whether it materialises as a bid for a player Sunderland will surely want to keep hold of if they are promoted is unclear at this stage, but Newcastle’s scouting remit seems to include Championship and League One prospects.
United were linked with Peterborough forward Siriki Dembele after head coach Bruce and his son Alex took in a Posh match at Crewe earlier in the season.
United know they will have to box clever in the market if there is no movement on the takeover. Their revenue has been hugely crunched by the pandemic and their business model is to only spend what they recoup.
****
JAMES Pallotta’s interest in buying Newcastle United is genuine but he know that there’s no prospect of anything happening any time soon.
The former Roma owner has had an interest in United for a long time and has conducted some preliminary due diligence.
But the billionaire – who gave no comment to the Notebook last year when asked about his interest – is not in the frame while Mike Ashley pursues legal routes surrounding the bid from PCP Capital Partners, the Reuben brothers and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Sources close to that consortium said they were continuing to await the outcome of arbitration and the Pallotta talk was best ignored.
****
THE fan-powered Newcastle United Supporters Trust campaign to potentially buy a stake in the Magpies got a huge endorsement from Alan Shearer on its launch day.
Shearer’s “I’m in” tweet for the 1892 Pledge was heavyweight backing from a man who has stayed out of endorsing a particular takeover proposal or wading into ownership talk.
Steve Howey was another former star weighing in with his support, with more than 1,800 individual pledges and £34,000 raised.
****
PERUVIAN forward Rodrigo Vilca is in the final stages of his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
Vilca should be available for the Under-23s in their final games – and he will be loaned out next season to get more games at a higher level.
****
NEWCASTLE fans are being made to wait for confirmation that Castore will be taking on the kit deal that has been held by Puma for more than a decade.
A long-term agreement was reported last year but United and the “premium brand” are yet to comment.
Castore are understood to be close to a deal for Wolves but Newcastle would be their most highprofile capture yet.
Insight into their plans was given by founder Tom Beahon, who confirmed they would be in the Premier League next season.