ChrisMcQuillan

I doubt this is anywhere near over, and I suspect they'll keep bidding. Feels like an attempt to get Isak to escalate things. I can't imagine what our rejection would have had to have been to scare them off for the entire window. Presumably something that would get Amnesty International out again.

Paqueta upon being charged. I honestly thought he was bang to rights.

Where's the SOON, emoji? No "HERE WE GO!"? No "He only wanted Newcastle!"? Can tell when he's getting paid to tweet.

I actually agree with this, mad is it seems to say it out loud. Not the swap deal, just about the better fit.

It does have a vibe of that. Read this morning that Amorim doesn't even want Sesko, wants Watkins instead, but Man United might force him to take Sesko. Definitely feels like the cartel clubs hoovering up our targets of the sake of it. I'd be very interested to see if Trafford plays much for City.

Training alone at Real Sociedad!?

Loan is fine, no issues with that.

That’s an unacceptable article when Liverpool haven’t even bid.

Ugly.

Can't wait for our season opener. Ramsdale Dubravka Pope Gillespie Ruddy Vlachodimos Joelinton Elanga DCL Muphy Osula

That's a pretty enormous downgrade on Trafford.

Champions League is nothing more than a convenient tool for the media to manufacture moves away from clubs on footballing grounds, rather than admitting the status quo has an inherent in-built advantage to the Top 6. They were desperate for us to miss out on Champions League so Isak would go elsewhere as a player of his quality "deserves Champions League".

Likewise. For starters, I’m not sure it’s legal.

How the hell does that work?

UEFA punishment is a fine. Slap on the wrist, comparatively.

Agreed. That take is too cynical even for me.

The three teams that have challenged those Top 6 in the last few years. Us, with all our problems. Notts Forest at £10m. Villa aren't even on the list. PSR doing its job.

Makes you wonder why.

Gonna get the post framed on my wall. 100%.

I do appreciate the sentiment. As someone who remembers losing Carroll and gaining Shefki Kuqi, the darkness lingered for quite a long time.

I play 2-4 times a week, joined an XIs team where I live. The more I play myself, the easier it is to mentally switch off from Newcastle. You still get to enjoy the game, but from a totally different perspective. Bizarrely, I couldn’t switch off even during the darkest depths of Ashley. I think I could more easily now. My view of the wider game (PSR, PL etc.) is wildly different.

I have tickets to the Sela Cup with my old man, coming over from NI for it. I’d really rather not go, at this point, but I imagine he’ll want to.

The thought has definitely crossed my mind. Not Isak going in isolation, the trigger being the total rigging of the sport from the top echelons to limit competition.

I’ve been thoroughly depressed for 24 hours and it’s showing no signs of lifting.

Gonna have to sell my signed, framed Isak shirt now. FML.