Newcastle are the second-favourites to lift the Premier League title next season.
Eddie Howe’s team needed just a point to confirm their place in the top four and secure a place in Europe’s elite competition next season.
4
The Magpies drew 0-0 with Leicester City on Monday night, and return to the Champions League for the first time since 2003.
Having ended their 20 year exile from Europe’s premier competition, Newcastle are behind Man City in the race for next season’s Premier League crown – ahead of Arsenal.
According to Betfair, Howe’s men are the 15/2 second-favourites to win the English top flight, as predicted by a supercomputer.
Man City are the 8/15 frontrunners to retain their top-flight crown, while Arsenal (9/1), Liverpool (9/1) and Man United (11/1) are the other early contenders.
Simon Jordan has certainly gone from doubter to believer with Newcastle, insisting they will be Man City’s long-term challengers.
Speaking on the White and Jordan show, the former Crystal Palace owner said: “This is not the peak.
“Whether there’s a plateau for a period of time before they go again, it’s possible, but the Saudis do not do second-place. That is not the motivation or their aim.
“They are going to, I suspect, become a force and part of my thinking is that out of the chasing pack of the clubs looking to unseat Man City, it may well be Newcastle.
“Not next year, I think they’ve still got a way to go, but I still think they are on their journey, and they are well on their journey.
“They have laid really good foundations. Everything they’ve done, despite my vitriol and criticism initially, has been pretty much right, from Eddie Howe coming in – I wasn’t an admirer of his and I have to eat all of those words.
“Jason Tindall has been a valuable member of staff and they have become a team unit.
4
“Amanda Staveley’s contributions in getting these guys in the door and then their recruitment policies, they go and buy a £70m footballer in Isak and Arsenal bought Nicolas Pepe for the same price – but when you put them side by side, who is the £70m footballer?
“Everything about the club at this moment in time has an irresistability about it.
“They are in the Champions League next season and they should go in there with zero respect for it and zero fear about playing in European football. It’s not a free hit but it is a huge opportunity and I think they’ll take it.
4
“I think they will inevitably be the side that challenges Man City because they have the economic resources to do so.
“I expect Newcastle to spend someone between £150m and £250m this summer, given the fact they’ve also got a £150m injection from being in the Champions League.”