Kieran Trippier's perfect Newcastle United takeover message and Mehrdad Ghodoussi 'endorsement'

It has been a year since the Newcastle takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.

Progress was slow at first, but Trippier’s £12million arrival from Atletico Madrid in January, followed by several other strong additions during the transfer window, helped Eddie Howe turn the club’s season around.

A year on and Newcastle are no longer the relegation candidates they have been in previous seasons. There is hope for a brighter future on Tyneside.

But, as ‘co-owner’ Mehrdad Ghodoussi famously said ‘patience is a virtue’ – a sentiment Trippier has echoed himself.

Speaking earlier in the year, Trippier was asked about Newcastle’s progress following the takeover and their plans to reach the levels of club’s like Manchester City.

“[It’s] definitely not [going to happen overnight],” he responded. “I was at Man City when their takeover happened and I had to leave to get minutes.

"You see the way Man City have done it and everyone is looking at Newcastle now. Like I said when I first arrived here, it's not going to happen overnight, it could take five years, it could take six years and everybody has to be patient but they are taking the right steps and that's all you can do.

"You can't just go all guns blazing, you have to take the right steps to move the club forward and that's what Newcastle are doing.”