Newcastle United's decision to place significant transfer business on hold until their managerial situation is resolved looks set to be tested in the coming days.
Sources in the North West have revealed that Manchester United are preparing to table an offer for midfielder Sean Longstaff, while reports in Spain suggest Valencia and Atletico Madrid are both considering formalising their interest in forward Ayoze Perez.
With Magpies manager Rafa Benitez yet to sign an extension to his contract, which is due to expire on June 30, Newcastle have postponed making definitive decisions on incoming transfer targets and concerning which of their current first-team players they would be prepared to sell until the managerial situation is resolved.
The make-up of the Newcastle squad in 2019/20 could look extremely different depending on who is manager next season, with Benitez and any potential successor likely to hold alternative visions of the best way to improve the player pool.
But, while Perez's Newcastle future is likely to be influenced by whether Benitez signs a new deal, the Magpies are set to resist Man United's enquiries for Longstaff regardless of who the Magpies manager is.
The 21-year-old Academy graduate signed a new deal last year and the club are expected to re-open contract talks with his representatives later in the summer.
It would take an astronomical bid from the Red Devils for Newcastle to even consider allowing North Shields native Longstaff to leave, given that the Magpies hope to build their midfield around him for years to come.
Perez's situation is more complicated, however, because the Magpies do not hold as strong a bargaining position when it comes to the 25-year-old.
With just two years remaining on his current contract, if Perez cannot be persuaded to sign a new deal then Newcastle may look to cash in on the forward at a time when his transfer value remains high.
The Newcastle board would prefer to defer any final decision until their managerial situation is resolved, though, because Benitez may be able to persuade Perez to sign a new contract. A new manager, meanwhile, may prefer to sell Perez in order to generate additional funds to re-mould the squad to their liking.
But Newcastle could yet be left with a difficult decision to make if any of Perez's potential suitors from Spain or Italy make a substantial bid for the forward before the Magpies confirm who will be in the home dugout at St James' Park for the 2019/20 campaign.
