NEYMAR and Kylian Mbappe were two of the wildly unrealistic names touted for a move to St James’ Park when a Saudi-backed, uber-rich consortium bought Newcastle.

What we have witnessed since is a more measured approach to when, say, Manchester City were first taken over and splashed the cash on then-superstar Robinho.

Nouveau-riche Toon are instead boxing clever with sensible signings such as Matt Targett, Nick Pope and Sven Botman.

That level-headed policy appears to have filtered down to the fans who are not getting ahead of themselves either.

Taking part in Sky Bet’s Fan Hope Survey, the majority of the 80 Magpies followers quizzed felt a top-four challenge was beyond Eddie Howe’s men this campaign.

Instead, 31 per cent reckoned the 2023-24 season was more likely, and the same figure felt it would take a term longer than that.

What is clear is that, however long it takes, the Toon army are confident it will eventually be a case of feast under their new wealthy owners after famine in the Mike Ashley era.

But supporters of the other Premier League clubs are less convinced.

Fifteen hundred top-flight club supporters were asked who was more likely to win a Premier League title in the next five years - Newcastle or Manchester United.

They opted for the latter, but in another question to the same survey, the majority did not feel the Red Devils would actually be crowned champions in the next half a decade!

No one has a crystal ball, of course, but it is obvious that if Newcastle are going to get where they want to, they will need to score more goals.

The Magpies managed a meagre 44 in the league last season, with Chris Wood netting just two since his £25million January arrival from Burnley.

Unsurprisingly, a new striker was top of the shopping list for Toon fans surveyed this summer.

Though there is real hope that Callum Wilson, should he steer clear of injury, can be prolific.

That confidence is shared throughout many fans outside of the club, with the former Bournemouth hitman voted an outside bet for Golden Boot winner.

The controversy surrounding Newcastle’s Saudi backers will not go away given the Middle Eastern country’s human-rights record.

But 61 per cent of Toon fans surveyed had no problem with their club’s new green-and-white third kit, despite its reflection of the Saudi flag.