The Daily Star claims that Rafa Benitez was offered an unnamed player but after discussing personal terms, the Magpies learned that they were unable to afford him even though there would be no transfer fee involved.
Because of Ashley's wage structure, we never really expected any big names to arrive, but this player was keen to join the club.
However, not keen to take a massive drop in wages.
Newcastle have had a very frustrating summer transfer window which is now understood to have left fresh doubt surrounding Benitez’s future on Tyneside.
After missing out on several key targets and only bringing in six new players to their first-team, this latest humiliating blow just shows how poor of a summer the Magpies had to endure.
Florian Lejeune, Javier Manquillo, Joselu, Jacob Murphy, Christian Atsu and Mikel Merino had all been signed by the Magpies, who hadn’t spent money in the January transfer window so that they could strengthen more this summer after completing their return to the Premier League.
Even though players were move on like Florian Thauvin, Grant Hanley and Daryl Murphy, it seems that they didn’t recoup enough funds to even sign a free agent.
NEWCASTLE 3 WEST HAM 0 (Clark, Joselu, Mitrovic)
Elliot, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Merino, Hayden (Diaméat 82'), Ritchie (Murphy 88'), Pérez, Atsu, Joselu (Mitrovic 72')
Subs: Aarons, Saivet. Gámez, Woodman
LC NEWCASTLE 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3 (Mitrovic, Aarons)
Darlow; Sterry (Lazaar, 58), Hanley, Mbemba, Gamez; Saivet, Barlaser (Hayden, 70); Murphy, Diame, Aarons (Ritchie, 76); Mitrovic (Joselu, 105).
Subs not used: Woodman, Lascelles, Manquillo.
HUDDERSFIELD 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Hayden (Diame 76), Merino, Atsu, Perez (Murphy 80), Ritchie, Gayle (Joselu 52).
Subs not used: Saivet, Aarons, Darlow, Mitrovic.
NEWCASTLE 0 TOTTENHAM 2
Elliot, Manquillo, Lejeune (Mbemba 34'), Clark, Dummett (Lascelles 7'), Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie, Pérez, Atsu, Gayle (Merinoat 76')
Subs: Murphy, Aarons, Merino, Darlow, Mitrovic
PRE-SEASON
NEWCASTLE 2 HELLAS VERONA 0 (Perez, Atsu)
Elliot (Darlow 64), Manquillo (Gamez 64), Lejeune (Lascelles 64), Clark (Mbemba 64), Dummett (Merino 64), Ritchie, Shelvey (Aarons 64), Hayden, Atsu (Murphy 64), Perez (De Jong 72), Mitrovic (Diame 64)
WOLFSBERG 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Mitrovic, Ritchie Pen, Atsu)
Elliot (Darlow, 70), Manquillo (Mbemba, 70), Lejeune (Lascelles, 70), Clark, Dummett (Gamez, 70), Ritchie (Murphy, 70), Shelvey, Hayden (Merino, 70), Atsu (Aarons, 70), Perez (de Jong, 70), Mitrovic (Diame, 46).
Subs not used: Colback, Gayle.
MAINZ 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gamez)
Darlow (Woodman 60), Yedlin (Manquillo 27), Clark (Mbemba 46), Lejuene (Merino 79), Dummett (Gamez 46), Colback (Shelvey 60), Diame (Perez 60), Murphy (Hayden 60), Ritchie (Aarons 46), De Jong (Atsu 60), Mitrovic (Gayle 60)
BRADFORD CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Gayle, Murphy 2, Mitrovic)
Elliot (Woodman, 61), Yedlin (Manquillo, 46), Lejeune (Mbemba, 61), Clark (Saivet, 77), Dummett (Gamez, 61), Atsu (De Jong, 61), Shelvey (Aarons, 61), Hayden (Colback, 77), Ritchie (Murphy, 46), Perez (Diame, 46), Gayle (Mitrovic, 61).
PRESTON 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Mitrovic)
Elliot (Darlow, 46, Woodman, 70), Mbemba, Hanley (Yedlin, 46), Lejeune (Manquillo, 77), Dummett (Clark, 46), Atsu (Murphy, 46), Diame (Colback, 46), Shelvey (Hayden, 46), Aarons (Perez, 46), de Jong (Roberts, 62), Mitrovic (Gayle, 46).
HEARTS 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Elliot (Woodman 63), Aarons(Gamez 46), Clark (Dummett 46), Mbemba (Hanley 62), Lascelles (Lejeune 46), Haidara (Colback 62), Shelvey (Saivet 46), Diame (Armstrong 62), De Jong (Lazaar 75), Atsu (Perez 46), Gayle (Mitrovic 46)