Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules will be adapted because of the impact coronavirus has had on football clubs, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
Clubs across Europe have been hit hard by the pandemic, which has led to the suspension of leagues and competitions across the continent.
Some leagues, such as Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie, have ended their season early; others, such as the Bundesliga, have restarted; while Premier League clubs will vote on Monday on small groups of players returning to training with social distancing in the hope that is the first step in eventually getting games played behind closed doors.
The health and safety of players and staff is the most important thing, but clubs have been trying to come to terms with the loss of match day revenue and the potential consequences of not being able to fulfil contractual obligations or losing out on prize money and TV revenue.
Even Manchester United's executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, warned last month that ‘it many not be business as usual’ in the transfer market for the Red Devils.
Just as Newcastle United's current regime comply with FFP, the Magpies' prospective new owners - Amanda Staveley, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the Reuben Brothers - intend to work within those same constraints if their takeover bid is given the green light.
The matter is currently in the hands of the Premier League, who are conducting their owners' and directors' test, and there is no formal guidance on when that process will be concluded.
Given the vast wealth behind the bid, it has not been a surprise that a host of big-name players have been linked with a move to St James' Park if it goes through - although it is important to stress the consortium are not thought to have a shortlist of players or managers to immediately target.
And while FFP currently means that clubs can't spend more than they earn, those rules may yet be tweaked as a result of coronavirus.
"The situation is extraordinary and we will not pretend that it's not so we will adapt the Financial Fair Play system, but the final decision in which direction we will do it is not brought yet so yes we will adapt," Ceferin told beIN SPORTS.
"We think it's important to adapt it because the situation for the clubs is not easy and we are all in the same boat here, but it's again too soon to share details of how we will do it because the clubs are included in the conversation and the leagues are also included in the conversation."
