Sources: Newcastle United handed major transfer boost as near-record figure revealed
Newcastle United registered near-record web traffic towards the end of August and are projected to maintain a recent surge in visitors to their digital channels, sources have told Football Insider.
August's figures represented an all-time high for the Magpies with the notable exception of October last year, shortly before the Saudi Public Investment Fund's historic and controversial takeover was announced.
Club grandees regard the expansion of their online footprint as central to their commercial strategy, which they in turn hope to convert into greater manoeuvrability in the transfer market under the Premier League's spending rules.
A source told Football Insider that the web traffic numbers include visits to the online shop, with Newcastle widely expected to set a new club benchmark for shirt sales this term.
This site reported on 22 November that Newcastle had plans to roll out an Arabic-language social media handle with a view to capitalising on growing interest in the region.
They announced the launch of @NUFC_AR, a Twitter account for the club's followers in the Arab world, last Sunday (4 December).
An amplified online following will allow Newcastle to justify more lucrative sponsorship deals in the eyes of the Premier League's Fair Market Value committee.
The move coincides with the Tynesiders' trip to their owners' homeland, with Eddie Howe's side having touched down for a second visit to Riyadh in as many years late last week.
The commercial team have also travelled to the Gulf state ahead of potentially decisive talks with airline SAUDIA over a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal, as revealed by Football Insider last Thursday (1 December).