The Athletic's Chris Waugh has delivered a major transfer update involving Newcastle United's summer plans.

What's the story?

After finishing the Premier League season on a high - mainly thanks to the goals of Arsenal loanee Joe Willock - Steve Bruce's side can head into the transfer window with a little bit more optimism.

And, based off Waugh's fresh update, it appears the Magpies are keen on making some significant changes to the squad, and there is also the potential of there being a major boost to the finances too.

He said: "Ideally, Bruce wants to sign at least one midfielder, perhaps two – Willock, or a similar box-to-box type, plus potentially a combative holding type – as well as bring in at least one new centre-half, a left-back and another forward.

"While Bruce is aware that his pockets will be pretty empty, he is hopeful that Newcastle’s late-season leap from 17th place at the start of this month to 12th in the final table – a jump which could be worth more than £15m in merit-based Premier League prize money – will at least slightly improve his capacity to spend."

Fans should be excited

While Waugh is hardly suggesting that Newcastle are going to embark on a £100m plus spending spree this summer, it is at least reassuring, and exciting actually, that the Magpies are keen on making some major additions to their squad.

The Tyneside club appear to be in for a whole new spine, and if they go on to have any of the kind of success that the likes of Willock and Callum Wilson had at the club during the Premier League season, then that will certainly be a job well done.

And, in terms of the finances, the impressive late-season form could well be the biggest plus point of Newcastle's season. Waugh indicates that the jump from just outside the relegation places to comfortably in mid-table could be worth around the £15m mark, and that's the kind of significant chunk of money that could be used in efforts to convince Arsenal to part ways with Willock.

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It's exactly why fans should be more excited about their prospects in this transfer window than they may have been before.

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