The dilemma facing Champions League-chasing Newcastle this winter

It has been an extraordinary turnaround under the club’s new ownership which has, of course, also been spearheaded by manager Eddie Howe who has the Toon in a position that few would have ever imagined possible in this amount of time.

Next Steps

With such a sizeable change in fortunes within a small amount of time, the big question now is whether this is sustainable. As things stand, the latest

prices Newcastle at just +110 to finish in the top four at the end of the season. 

Furthermore, the most informed

make a strong case for Howe’s charges gatecrashing the top four and bringing Champions League football back to St James’ Park next season, which is a huge positive for Toon fans.

Should this happen then it would undoubtedly be one of the most impressive campaigns in Newcastle's recent history, but with that being said, there is still a long way to go before the Champions League anthem is played in the northeast.

In many respects, whether that happens or not depends on what Newcastle does during the January transfer window.

The catch is that this unexpected success that the Magpies are currently enjoying has come at a price with the club spending in the region of £210 million over the course of two transfer windows since

by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

In essence, the point to take away from all of this is that Newcastle’s hands are tied with regard to Financial Fair Play rules having spent their quota of funds over 12 months in a bid to get themselves out of a relegation scrap. 

As touched on, the results of this spending spree have paid huge dividends with the Champions League now in the club’s sights. The only unknown, however, is how Newcastle will fare during the second half of the season if they don’t strengthen in January.

Now, this is where the club faces a potential dilemma given that no one will stop them from bringing in new players, but should they do so then a potential fine or worst-case scenario points deduction may be issued down the line.

Notably, there haven’t been any points deductions handed down to a single Premier League club since the inception of Financial Fair Play. In fact, the Premier League has begun to develop a reputation for being overly lenient when policing

.

How much is enough?

This isn’t to suggest by any means that Newcastle will push their luck, but more to make note of the fact that there have been some inconsistencies with regard to policing spending breaches in the top-flight.

Ultimately though, the bottom line is that Newcastle will have a host of decisions to make as the January transfer window gets closer.

Make no mistake though, the powers that be at St James’ Park will know that being given the chance to break into the top four is a rarity in the Premier League and may not come around again too soon.

Similarly, if the club were successful in qualifying for the Champions League this season then they may never look back.

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