Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that Newcastle United could be set for some vital sponsorship deals if they can secure Champions League football.
What's the latest on Newcastle United?
Ever since the Magpies' high-profile takeover by the Saudi-led consortium back in October 2021, the club have seemingly been on the rise.
Indeed, the Mike Ashley era ended with Steve Bruce in the midst of a relegation battle, but since then new boss Eddie Howe has made Newcastle genuine contenders for a top-four finish.
This was evident on the weekend in the Premier League against rivals Manchester United, as the home team claimed an impressive 2-0 win at St James' Park.
Consequently, Newcastle leapfrogged their opponent and now sit third in the league with just 11 games left to play in the remainder of the season.
While talking on his own YouTube channel, Hope outlined just how important it is to the club to finish inside the top four as it could help "put a zero on the end" of some key financial deals in the near future.
He said (8:49): “Now with the position they've put themselves in with 11 matches of the season remaining, that top four has to be an absolute must.
"And would it be too soon? Well, not for me. You know, I've said this before, that this club for where it wants to go cannot move quickly enough.
“And if you secure Champions League football, that may just allow you to put a zero on the end of some of those sponsorship deals and, and accelerate the journey you’re on.”
Why do Newcastle need sponsorship?
While it's well understood that Newcastle's current owners aren't exactly strapped for cash, they can't just invest all of their own money with no limits.
Indeed, as seen with the current Financial Fair Play allegations made against Everton and Manchester City, Premier League clubs have to operate in a sustainable manner and raise enough of their own revenue to fund things such as exciting new transfers.
This means new sponsorship will be extremely useful for Newcastle in the near future as they look to establish themselves as one of England's best-performing clubs once more.
And so, if Howe and co can cling onto a Champions League spot by the end of the season, it will naturally be much easier to attract some high-profile deals with potential sponsors – thus, potentially accelerating the club's journey to the top.
