Can Adidas deal help Newcastle United break into game’s elite?

Even so, Maguire has a much more cautious view on the deal’s potential impact.

Firstly, he says manufacturers have what are termed Tier 1 partners in each geographic area – big-hitters such as Germany’s Bayern Munich, Spain’s Real Madrid and Italy’s Juventus.

In Premier League terms, that means Manchester United will be Adidas’s “flagship brand” with an “impact upon the total amount of money it is willing to pay to Newcastle as a guaranteed sum”.

Secondly, he warns the Tyneside club may well find it difficult to attract new fans across the globe even if there is success on the pitch.

“I think there are potential benefits in terms of shirt sales as Adidas is a global company and therefore servicing demand in international markets is easier [than for Castore], but without being negative about Newcastle, they’re not Manchester United or Real Madrid. They’re not PSG or Bayern Munich.

“If you take a look at Manchester City, who were effectively Newcastle 15 years ago, how many shirts do you see in places across the world other than a few Haaland tops?

“City have won the Premier League six years out of the last seven, they’ve won the Champions League and numerous other trophies and yet they are still in the growth phase in terms of building a global fan base.”