The mood surrounding Newcastle United could hardly be more positive ahead of the new Premier League season.
In a complete contrast to the doom and gloom that enveloped St James Park 12 months ago, there is genuine excitement about what lies in wait for Eddie Howe’s side during the upcoming campaign.
Much of that optimism has been fuelled by the arrival of the PIF-led consortium following their £300million takeover of the club that brought an end to the limited expectations and ambitions of the Magpies former owner.
Investment is being made at all levels of the club and manager Eddie Howe has been backed in the transfer market as he looks to build something special on Tyneside.
The January transfer window was an undoubted success with the arrivals of the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier helping propel United away from the relegation zone and into a comfortable mid-table position by the time a transformative season came to a close.
The summer window has started in positive fashion with Dutch defender Sven Botman, England goalkeeper Nick Pope and former loan star Matt Targett all arriving.
More new signings should follow and Howe’s squad should have a fresh look about it by the time the window closes for business in September.
But how does the value of the Magpies squad compare to their Premier League rivals? NewcastleWorld investigates with the help of figures provided by www.transfermarkt.co.uk.
1. Manchester City - £952.92m
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2. Liverpool - £788.85m
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3. Chelsea - £722.43m
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4. Tottenham Hotspur - £674.37m
Photo: Getty Images