The cheeky £100m Arsenal and Tottenham transfer battle that will have Newcastle United quivering with fear

It's not as easy as it looks, being the richest club in global football. While Newcastle United are undeniably in a better position than they were during the grim dregs of the Mike Ashley era, any assumptions that they would simply spend their way to immediate success have been heavily curtailed by the pesky combined forces of the established Premier League order and Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Indeed, it is the latter that could throw a considerable spanner in the proverbial works for the Magpies this summer, to the potential benefit of the former. There is a widespread consensus that, if they are to balance the books and facilitate further expenditure in the coming months, Newcastle may need to sell one of their most cherished assets. Bruno Guimaraes has been frequently touted as one possible sacrifice, as has Alexander Isak.

Earlier this week, Eddie Howe made it abundantly clear that the Magpies have no intention whatsoever of cashing in on the lanky Swede any time soon, telling a press conference: “He’s an outstanding talent and no one connected with Newcastle would want to lose him. He can go on to achieve incredible things in his career.” But that has not stopped the rumour mill from churning.

According to a report from The Sun, Newcastle are braced for bids from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, with a speculative price tag of around £100 million being bandied about. That kind of fee would represent a notable profit for the Magpies compared to the £60 million or so they forked out for Isak a couple of years ago, and would go a long way towards appeasing the gods of Financial Fair Play, especially if Howe's side eventually fall short of European qualification in the next few weeks.

As for Isak himself, his stance does not seem quite as concrete as that of his employers. Speaking during the international break, the 24-year-old rather suggestively admitted that “if things show up, things can happen”. And to that end, you can fully understand why the likes of Arsenal and Spurs might be tempted to 'show up'.

Both clubs are in overt need of reinforcements at the point of attack, and it is hard to imagine either stumbling across a more surefire bet than a player who has nonchalantly registered 15 strikes in 22 Premier League outings already this season. At £100 million, Isak would be pricey, but not necessarily any more so than the likes of a Victor Osimhen, or even an Ivan Toney. Plus, at 24, he is only just entering the prime of his career; in other words, his potential and prospective resale value are both sky high.

And it is in this context that Newcastle find themselves hunkering down for a tooth and nail battle to retain his services. The Geordies' misfortune - or rather, their desire to continue spending ambitiously - could be a blessing for any number of circling clubs hoping to cheekily exploit them this summer. That being said, if there is one thing we know about Magpies, it is that they don't relinquish their shiniest possessions all that readily.