Football financial expert Kieran Maguire has backed Newcastle United to create the "big seven" by the end of the decade.
As it stands, the Premier League "big six", Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are angling for power. The failed European Super League fiasco exposed their desire to break away due to a lack of control in English football.
Changes in recent years have seen overseas TV revenue weighted towards those who finish higher up the league - a huge win for the top-flight elite. An FA Cup revamp - with third-round replays scrapped - was also viewed as favourable towards the big hitters.
Newcastle's takeover promised to upset the apple cart, with sceptics believing a conspiracy to block the deal came from the established heavyweights. Qualifying for the Champions League in the first full post-Mike Ashley era sent warning signs that the Magpies are coming.
But a lack of investment under the Sports Direct tycoon means Newcastle's project cannot be achieved overnight. Speaking to NewcastleWorld via Geordie Journos, monetary guru Maguire dubbed Ashley "Lord Voldemort" for failing to grow the club commercially and backed Toon chiefs to break into the "big six" by 2030.
The commercial growth of Spurs probably grew by a factor of six. And the commercial growth of Newcastle United flatlined. Those were lost years. We're not here to talk about the Lord Voldemort of Tyneside, but it was a lost opportunity. He became a toxic brand in the eyes of partners and sponsors - Newcastle suffered.
What Newcastle have to do is play catch-up and to do so as fast as they can. Fans are impatient, two weeks in football is a hell of a long time. But if Newcastle continue this level of growth, I reckon by the end of the decade that the big six will become a big seven."