Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, has cautioned Newcastle that having the financial means to spend a lot of money does not guarantee success.
The Magpies are now able to compete financially with some of the biggest and finest teams in the world after being acquired by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund at the end of 2021.
Newcastle appear shoo-ins to qualify for Europe and are still in with a decent chance of reaching the UEFA Champions League for the first time since PIF acquired a majority stake in the team.
Yet before United traveled to St James' Park on Sunday, a rematch of the Carabao Cup final from February, Ten Hag tried to give Newcastle some advise in their quest to overthrow the English and European football establishment.
"Money is one thing, but strategy is quite another. During my time at Ajax. Despite having a little budget in the Champions League compared to many other clubs, we managed to win our group, advance to the semi-finals, and come very close to reaching the final [in 2019]. As a result, teams with more finances can be defeated, Ten Hag stated.
The Dutchman then shifted the focus back to his own team's performance and said, "We are headed in the right direction. We need to advance, but I believe we are establishing a foundation this season. Every time, we demand more of our players and raise the bar.
"We must participate in the Champions League, let's be clear about it. There can be no confusion; we are Manchester United, and we must participate.
"We still appeal to the best players even when we aren't. I became aware of that last year. This club draws large crowds. A very good example is Casemiro, who has won everything but was willing to go.
"But I want to be clear that there are two paths for us to qualify for the Champions League. The top four finishes in the Premier League or winning the Europa League are the two options. The two opportunities are those."
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