Newcastle set to wear green and white kit to resemble Saudi Arabia national team

Kit suppliers Castore appear to have opted for a design that mimics the jersey of the Saudi Arabia national team - which comes just months after a £305million takeover of the Magpies backed by the Gulf state's Public Investment Fund.

The shirt, leaked by the Daily Mail and the Telegraph, is sure to attract criticism if confirmed, given the Saudi regime's poor record on human rights and suggestions of sportswashing.

But the move would not be an unprecedented one as Paris Saint-Germain's Qatari owners swapped the traditional red of the French giants for maroon, in line with the colours of the Gulf state in 2017.

Since the Saudi PIF's investment into the club in October, Newcastle have seen a staggering upturn in form under the guidance of Eddie Howe.

Newcastle invested just-shy of £100m in the January transfer window, making them the biggest spenders in Europe.

The Acquisition of Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood, Kieran Trippier and the loan signing of Matt Targett helped fire the club from the brink of relegation to a possible mid-table finish.

Newcastle's new-found wealth has led to the club being linked with a host of stars but manager Howe has admitted that they will have to act with caution this summer to meet Financial Fair Play regulations.

"With Financial Fair Play, we have restraints and we have things that we have to work within, so we can't just go out and spend money on players like maybe teams could have done in the past and totally change their squad within one transfer window," Howe added.

"That is not an option for us. The more money you spend in one window, the more it impacts upon your ability to then spend in windows beyond.

"The rules are there to govern the game properly and we have to follow suit, so that does impact upon what we can do this summer.

"But it doesn't mean that we're totally without ambition. We want to try to bring the right players in, ones that are proud to wear the shirt and that can make a difference.

"We're well aware that we have to change the squad and we have to make improvements, but it's going to be a difficult balance."

Newcastle will look to bolster their attack this summer ready for next season's assault on the Premier League.

With Callum Wilson's reduced game time through injury and Chris Wood's lack of goals since his move to Tyneside, Newcastle will likely dip into the transfer market for a new striker.

Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, Reims' teenage sensation Hugo Ekitike and Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin have all been mentioned as summer targets for the ambitious north-east club.