Newcastle United players will pick up a bumper bonus package if they manage to earn a top-six finish this season.
United are playing for an incentivised bonus scheme this season which rises significantly for each Premier League place.
Despite talk of a lack of ambition at St James' Park, it is understood that the club's power men feel the players have been handed a massive enticement to earn the best finish since 2012.
After being involved in relegation battles for the majority of the decade it is something Newcastle are keen to address.
The prize pot will be shared between the squad in May and was agreed at the start of the season soon after Steve Bruce was appointed.
Unlike the year before - when the squad went on strike and refused to speak to both the media and even the club's official website and TV channel - the deal was thrashed out with ease behind the scenes.
The scheme is different to last season's in that a high finish is believed to be worth more to the United squad. And it is a contrast to the £20million prize pot that Mike Ashley put up back in 2017 if Newcastle had have won the FA Cup.
United will take a more positive approach to the FA Cup this season under Bruce though with the Toon boss eager to have a good run in the competition.
Extra scouting missions to ensure that Rochdale are treated with the utmost respect have taken place.
Bruce is aware of United's poor record in the FA Cup with the club failing to get beyond the early rounds for the majority of Ashley's tenure on Tyneside. Worryingly for United, Rochdale have made more fourth round appearances than Newcastle in the last six years.
