It's sad, but when I read that statement, it did not to mean that Newcastle would be in the CL within a year, but Lacazette could move on to a new club after just one year with Newcastle.
I am actually OK with us being viewed as a stepping stone club (as long as its a stepping stone to the Champions league clubs and not to the likes of Spurs or Everton or Southampton). My view is that for each player who uses us to step up and move on, another one sees us just as a step up and stays.
That process then fuels our progress upwards at a steady pace.
Life must be good in Texas to have that sort of mentality.