The murky world of Saudi Arabian football is especially pertinent when it comes to talking about Newcastle United stars, given that the Magpies owners, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), are also in control of the top four clubs in the Saudi Pro League.
It’s yet to be fully realised how such an arrangement is going to work in practice, however, a feeling that PIF could buy players for one club and immediately loan them to Newcastle and vice versa isn’t without merit.
As long as everything is above board there’s little anyone can do, even if it’s a business practice that appears to be right on the cusp of being acceptable.
TalkSPORT note that one Magpies star could well be targeted by as many as three Saudi clubs, and that’s despite the player concerned only having recently signed a new deal at St. James’ Park.
Callum Wilson is doing as good a job as any of his colleagues at Newcastle at present, and he was on the scoresheet again at the weekend in the 8-0 demolition of Sheffield United.
The centre-forward is adored by supporters at the Gallowgate End, who are used to a long line of brilliant number nines, including Alan Shearer, Malcolm McDonald and ‘Wor Jackie’ Milburn.
It would be odd indeed if he’d be willing to give that up to be used as a pawn in the bigger game being played by PIF.