ALAN SHEARER is seeking assurances that Mike Ashley can provide him with a squad capable of handling the rigours of life in the Championship.
The legendary former No 9 was deeply hurt by Newcastle’s relegation on Sunday and spent nine hours trying to thrash out a deal with the Toon tycoon and managing director Derek Llambias yesterday.
It as a day which ended with Ashley issuing a statement apologising to fans for the mistakes which led to United losing their top-flight status.
Shearer was back at the club’s Benton HQ at 8.30am this morning for the second round of talks, with the main topic of conversation so far thought to be transfer funding.
The Chronicle understands a transfer kitty of £15-20m is what Big Al feels is necessary to rebuild the squad, with a long summer of wheeling and dealing lying ahead.
United also have the daunting task of attempting to reduce the astrnomical wage bill, with 15 of last season’s squad earning £50,000 a week or more.
However, the time factor is also crucial to the future of United at the moment, with pre-season training just over a month away.
Shearer has already gone on record to state that every day that goes by without progress being made on plans is a wasted one, with Newcastle’s new Championship counterparts now working on next season with a full knowledge of what is needed to cope with modern-day, second-tier football.
Various Toon players jetted out of Tyneside yesterday, some of them not knowing whether they will be back when pre-season training starts on July 1.
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