Does money matter?

It's a given that the Newcastle squad needs evolving over the summer. After all, it's what all newly-promoted teams need to do as they attempt to consolidate in the Premier League.

The level of improvement required within the current squad will depend on who we can keep at the club over the summer. If we lose some of our better players they will, of course, need replacing. In the ideal world we will keep hold of our current players and continue to build and strengthen the squad, but in reality there is a very real risk that we could see the back of players like Jose Enrique and recieve bids for players like Cheik Tiote.

You could argue that part one of this summer rebuilding process actually doesn't require any rebuilding at all. Keeping hold of our top players should be the priority, but with contract talks on hold until safety is assured and rumours over the future of some of our players spreading like wildfire you'd probably be right to wait and see on that front.

Proof of that particular pudding will come with either confirmation of a player leaving or confirmation of a player signing a new deal. Not before.

I've heard the word 'ambition' being thrown around fairly often, but what does it mean? Does it mean challenging for a Champions League spot next season? Europe? Does it mean a stable season with a stronger squad that has a bit more quality so we can perhaps challenge more competitively for a cup? Until we define what our ambition is for the next season then we can't really begin to think about a plan of action surely?

The club said in the recent accounts that the aim is to be in the top ten and to be challenging for Europe every season. Fair enough, so now we have a starting point.

Now to match that ambition I don't think we are too far off in terms of playing staff. I think we are weak in a few areas of the first team, but overall, once everyone is fit, our starting eleven isn't bad at all. Despite that though, this is where the money needs to be spent as players who can come into the first team will generally cost more.

I've also read comments from people who are sharpening the knives in waiting for the club to not spend every penny of available transfer funds over the summer. Does it really matter though?

In my opinion it doesn't, as long as the squad and team are stronger than what we have now. I certainly won't be counting the pennies in and out over the summer and will be looking instead at the effect that the new players have at Newcastle.

Chiek Tiote should be the perfect example to everyone. Not much was expected of him because he 'only' cost £3.5 million, but can you honestly say that his contribution has not exceeded his cost? That's kind of my point.

It's not the cost that matters to me - it's contribution to the team that matters the most. If we spend every penny then fair enough, but if we don't I won't be bothered, as long as the team and squad have been improved in quality.

In my opinion of course.