Newcastle's Saudi vision is shrouded in bleak suspicion and unfulfilled promises | Jonathan Liew

"Nick Woltemade, signed for 69m in the hot madness of summer, has stopped scoring. Anthony Elanga, a 55m winger, has struggled for game time and goals. Malick Thiaw, a 35m centre-half bought from Milan, keeps making basic errors. Last summer's transfer window, conducted without a sporting director and with an outgoing chief executive, looks increasingly like a disaster. The football seems a little slower and less urgent these days, St James' Park a little quieter and more anxious."

"Sandro Tonali's agent decided to make a little mischief on transfer deadline day, putting Arsenal on alert. Perhaps Tonali will be the next painful transfer saga, perhaps Bruno Guimaraes or Lewis Hall or Tino Livramento. The sporting director, Ross Wilson, is still getting his feet under the table. The chief executive, David Hopkinson, reckons Newcastle can be the best team in the world by 2030. They sit 11th in the Premier League. No signings arrived in January."

"No spades in the dirt, no announcements or architects' drawings, no timeline. The new stadium in Leazes Park remains a figment of the imagination. During the takeover process, Amanda Staveley claimed that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia had massive plans to invest in the city, in housing, everything. The regeneration of St James' Park, its community and the wider urban area was a major part of winning public support for the bid."

Newcastle United's expensive summer signings have failed to deliver, with Nick Woltemade, Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw underperforming. The transfer window was managed without a sporting director and amid executive turnover. The team's play lacks urgency and St James' Park feels more anxious. Eddie Howe is managing morale amid growing concern. Departures and agent actions have destabilised squad planning, while Ross Wilson is still settling into the sporting director role. Chief executive David Hopkinson projects becoming the world's best team by 2030 despite an 11th-place standing and no January signings. Promised training ground and stadium developments have not materialised. The PIF has downscaled the Neom project.

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