Newcastle United's fan base alone determines that they are big enough to be a Premier League side and the likelihood is they'll be returning there next season and the Magpies hope to do that with one of the league's big names in their side.
Despite not winning a major domestic trophy since 1955, when they won the FA Cup for the third time in five years, Newcastle United are considered to be one of the country's 'big clubs'.
Since '55 in fact the Magpies have only won the Inter-Cities Fair Cup, the unofficial predecessor to the UEFA Cup, the Intertoto Cup and England's second tier twice.
Advert
That lack of success withstanding Newcastle has always felt like a big club, especially in the Premier League era, and finished as high as second in the league under Kevin Keegan, even if that is 20 years ago now.
Kevin Keegan would love it if he could strangle Sir Alex Ferguson, love it! Image: PA Images.
But in recent years the lower echelons of the Premier League has been their home and twice they've fallen into the Championship, where they currently reside. It looks like they should bounce straight back up under Rafa Benitez this season, however.
Advert
The former Liverpool boss will want to make sure that his team don't go back down at the end of next season and, according to the Sun, he intends to do this by signing Swansea City midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson for £15 million.
Gylfi Sigurdsson's name has been copied and pasted from Google every time I've typed the name Gylfi Sigurdsson. Image: PA
A source at the club told the newspaper, "Rafa knows he can't just go out there and buy the biggest names in their first season back - but Gylfi would be a good-value addition to his squad."
Advert
Sigurdsson has been brilliant for Swansea this season and for much of the first part of the campaign he looked like their only hope of staying up but Paul Clement's arrival has shown an upturn in fortunes.
The Icelandic midfielder is an important part of Clement's team but the former Bayern Munich number two will be aware that the likes of West Ham, Everton and Southampton have also been eyeing his player.
Clement hopes he won't be waving goodbye to his best player or the Premier League. Image: PA
Advert
The Swans are currently three points above the drop zone but could still go down. Newcastle are point ahead of Brighton at the top of the Championship but seven clear of third place Huddersfield and should go up automatically.
Benitez will hope to rebuild Newcastle into one of the Premier League's biggest and best sides next season, he'll be hoping to start with the capture of one of the league's most creative players.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Swansea City, Football, Newcastle United