No doubt they bid the lowest amount they could and after finally getting the nod they then followed up their lowest bid with an equally low contract offer. What exactly are these clowns playing at?

What happens between now and the end of January, both on and off the pitch, could well also decide what happens between Mike Ashley and Alan Pardew, with the ink still dry on an eight year contract.

In recent years Mike Ashley’s transfer strategy, in terms of finance and fees anyway, has been somewhat conservative – but are things now changing?