Barring a dramatic late collapse, Newcastle will be bounce straight back up to the Premier League for 2017/18, repeating the trick they pulled off in 2009/10.

Passing the 100-point mark may not be feasible this time around – albeit it’s mathematically possible to equal the 102 haul of their last second tier season – but the end result is all that matters and the club will be desperate to not have to do it all over again in a few years’ time.

Newcastle have learnt the hard way in the transfer market, so if we do indeed better ourselves due to past mistakes, the Magpies should be geared up for a productive off-season to signal their top-level comeback. The club will have money to spend given their big sales last year and the vast levels of cash that come with being in the Premier League, meaning there is no reason for the club to be unambitious in terms of targets.

An interesting name they could look to is Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere. The England international is currently on loan at Bournemouth and has already told Shoot that he’s unsure of his future back in London, while reports have indicated that the Cherries are not as keen as they once were to make his stay a permanent one. Wilshere could be available and even though Newcastle have a wealth of central midfield options, a player of such quality could be hard to overlook.

Here are three reasons this deal makes sense…

Mutual points to prove

Both Newcastle and Wilshere’s declines have somewhat coincided over the past few years. At the peak of his powers in the early 2010s, the midfielder has been hit with injury after injury since, while most Magpies fans struggle even now to remember the 2011/12 season in which they finished an impressive fifth – ahead of both Chelsea and Liverpool.

Both are somewhat on a voyage to get back to these highs, so there’s a certain logic to suggesting the two could do so together. A hungry Wilshere and a club that’s equally keen to rise to an upper mid-table position could be a match made in heaven.

Proven Premier League quality

Those in the ‘anti-Wilshere’ camp will point at his horrendous injury record – which is, to a degree, fair enough – but there’s not doubting that a fit and firing version of the 25-year-old is easily good enough to play week in, week out in the Premier League.

The Gunners loanee has shown that he may be past the worst of his fitness problems while with Bournemouth, with his haul of 23 league outings putting him on course for his best return since 2012/13, a campaign in which he appeared 25 times.

2013/14 yielded three goals and four assists, which is not a standout return, but given a greater degree of responsibility he could thrive in a Newcastle team.

Talisman potential

Newcastle love a talismanic talent. From Alan Shearer to David Ginola, the black and white-clad team have had a few inspirational players, and while Wilshere is by no means on such a level, he is a stellar footballer.

As he’s shown for both England and Arsenal through the years, he’s capable of moments of magic – that goal vs. Norwich stands out – and that sort of ability could make him a hero in the St James’ Park stands.