Newcastle United notebook: Box office signing expectations, new coach appointed, U23s on song

Newcastle United were linked with an audacious move for Brazil international Neymar over the weekend with reports even being carried by Marca over a possible bid for the 30-year-old. The superstar is currently out of favour with Paris St-Germain and has been getting booed by his own fans.

Unsurprisingly his representatives are looking for an escape from Paris and it probably comes as no shock that Newcastle found themselves in the headlines across Europe and beyond. However, with wages of €500,000 per week and a price tag of £200million fans will have their own views on whether United would even get around the table to talk about such a salary.

Of course, there is money to spend at St James' Park and the board are highly ambitious but sources at

Newcastle are now getting used to reports like this and are taking it with a pinch of salt. That doesn't mean there won't be anything to get excited about at St James' Park this summer though.

In fact, it may be quite the opposite with one of the busiest summers at the club for some time expected with a host of departures and incoming deals expected. Clinching Premier League survival is the main thing Eddie Howe is focused on at the moment, but beyond that Newcastle's recruitment team are assessing a number of targets that will help the club establish themselves in the top 10 next term.

As far as box office signings are concerned, that remains to be seen but it is thought that signings like Bruno Guimaraes are the ilk of player the new owners want at the club. Bruno did not mess about when asked where he thought Newcastle could go back in January when saying on the record that the Magpies could be a "big power in world football", and that was coming from a guy that has held