Welcome to our Newcastle United live blog for Sunday, April 29.

Reports in Italy claim Inter Milan are optimistic United will complete a permanent deal for Valentino Lazaro.

Newcastle United's Supporters' Trust (NUST) have issued a damning statement claiming the club had 'no intention' of freezing or delaying season-ticket payments.

The suspension of the Premier League amid the outbreak of coronavirus has been pushed back until April 30.

The original postponement had seen the Magpies due to return to action at Bournemouth on April 4.

However, the decision was taken on Thursday to push this back until the end of the month. As it stands, Steve Bruce's side will not be back in action until their St James' Park clash with Tottenham on May 2.

We'll be bringing you all the latest on this throughout the day.

Key Events

Signing off

That's all from us tonight. Here's a look at today's top stories:

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Future of Bentaleb and Lazaro

Newcastle United will give Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro chances to play for their future if and when the season resumes.

Nabil Bentaleb of Newcastle United (42) and Valentino Lazaro of Newcastle United (23) arrive for the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Newcastle United and Oxford United (Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Despite claims in Italy this week, United have made no firm decision on Lazaro’s future. Bentaleb was dropped before the season was paused but Newcastle remain open-minded about triggering the deal negotiated with Schalke.

You can read the full story here.

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OTD in 2002

The Magpies ran rampant at St James' Park!

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Playing NUFC's FIFA champion

Jake Simpson is leading Newcastle United's bid for silverware during the coronavirus-enforced suspension of the season.

With Steve Bruce's side not due back in action until April 30 at the earliest, the 21-year-old has thousands of fans watching his bid for FIFA Ultimate Quaran-Team glory.

The online gaming competition setup by Leyton Orient sees supporters, professional gamers and even players representing 128 clubs across the globe.

Jake, 21, from Consett, was selected by United to represent the Magpies and has so far guided the club to the third round of the competition.

A comfortable first-round victory over Gillingham was followed up with a nervy replay success over Nantes and four-time world champion Bruce Grannec.

Jake Simpson AKA Planet Toast and Allan Saint-Maximin celebrating the third goal

Jake - under the gamertag Planet Toast - will be back in action at 4pm on Sunday for his third-round tie with FC Sion.

But what is it really like to take on a competitive FIFA player who has represented Newcastle United in the ePremierLeague finals?

Ahead of Jake's third-round tie, he kindly agreed to give us a game with Newcastle United taking on...Newcastle United.

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Takeover theory

A fascinating discussion on a newly-released Transfer Window football podcast raises the prospect of Saudi Arabia or “another ruthless” buyer using the uncertainty around the sport to force their way into the Premier League.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks to Russian President during the talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

High-profile football officials have spoken of the coronavirus pandemic being a “game changer” for football. Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness says there will be a “new footballing world” when the sport resumes, with nine-figure transfers out of the question for the next two or three years.

But a competing theory that will interest Newcastle fans desperate to see Mike Ashley sell up has also emerged – namely that a big buyer insulated against some of the shocks to come to the economy could swoop.

You can read the full story here.

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NUFC's biggest prankster

Newcastle United club doctor Paul Catterson was asked by fans who the biggest joker in the dressing room was at St James' Park this week.

In an excellent Facebook Live broadcast, Dr Catterson offered hints and tips on getting through lockdown and also how Newcastle as a club are coping with the intense situation.

Club Doctor Paul Catterson

However, he also offered some insight into the dynamics of the dressing room and was asked which players get the squad smiling.

You can read the full story here.

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Takeover latest

A football takeover broker believes the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a major shake up – and might finally tempt Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to revise his price downwards.

Ashley has been reticent to part with Newcastle unless certain conditions are met and earlier this month Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS said that prices are unrealistic in the Premier League. Newcastle were valued at £350million.

But Ashley said this week he is “fighting to save his businesses” after the coronavirus pandemic meant all shops have been shut. “Everything will be on the table when football returns – and in the medium and long-term I think the game will be different,” the broker, who has knowledge of previous discussions around Newcastle, said.

“The issue would be whether any interested party might have the funds given the economic shocks we’re going to see. But I certainly wouldn’t rule it out.”

Talks between Amanda Staveley’s consortium that claimed to have backing from Saudi Arabia and Newcastle – which were said to be continuing in the background before the uncertainty – are understood to have been paused. Any financial modelling done before March is likely to have to be revised depending on what happens in the next few months, which mean that any short-term prospect of a change of hands is entirely extinguished.

But in the medium to long-term, football finance experts see the possibility of revised prices and a changing landscape in the Premier League.

You can read more from the NUFC notebook here.

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Souness on managerial career

Former Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness has revealed he would be less 'aggressive' if he was to have his time in management again.

The Liverpool legend endured a difficult two-year spell in the dugout on Tyneside, and has not returned to management since leaving St James' Park in 2006.

Souness enjoyed stints in charge at Rangers, Galatasaray, Benfica, Torino and the Reds during a managerial career spanning three decades.

Graeme Souness (Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)

Reflecting on his career in football, the three-time European Cup winner believes he made the most of his time as a player.

But when asked by Sky Sports host David Jones on Off Script, the 66-year-old admits he would temper his approach to management.

You can read the full story here.

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Dubravka on PL season

Martin Dubravka doesn’t think we’ll see Premier League football before July – but he does think Newcastle United will finish their season for one simple reason.

Dubravka was speaking to Slovakian newspaper Sport as he pondered the long break in football as the world adjusts to the huge challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Martin Dubravka of Newcastle United

The Premier League will make a further announcement next week about the next steps, with very few believing football has a chance of returning for the May date that was included in the statement released after the last conference call.

And Dubravka, who is back running again following the serious injury suffered at Southampton, believes July is the most likely return date with behind-closed-doors games. He bases that on the need to finish the season so that TV contracts aren’t voided.

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Where are they now?

A lot is made of Newcastle’s academy and whether it is operating efficiently. The club has produced some of England’s finest talents in years gone by, but that same star quality has seemed absent in recent years.

James Tavernier of Rangers is seen during the Betfred League Cup semi final between Rangers and Heart of Midlothian at Hampden Park

The FA Youth Cup can often be an indicator of future prospects. Take Chelsea, for example. Frank Lampard has ushered in a new generation of stars at Stamford Bridge, and that is in part due to the club’s sustained success in the FA Youth Cup.

The last time the Magpies reached the semi-finals of the competition was ten years ago, but what happened to that group of players?

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Cyprien interest

Newcastle United are continuing to monitor the situation of Wylan Cyprien of Nice.

The 25-year-old midfielder was on United’s radar in January with Steve Bruce keen to bring some energy to his team.

With Isaac Hayden thought to be unsettled and the future of Sean and Matt Longstaff uncertain, Bruce could have to make a raid for the former Lens man this summer.

Nice's French midfielder Wylan Cyprien

United scouts have checked out his performances throughout the season but with the season at a standstill, Steve Nickson and his team haven’t stopped working and are going over games via the club’s video system.

Cyprien turned down an approach from Aston Villa back in January but has not ruled out a move to the Premier League completely.

But Everton have also been watching him closely this season.

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ASM home skills

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Ryder on Mitrovic's NUFC career

Here's a snippet of Lee Ryder's column looking at why Aleksandar Mitrovic's move to Newcastle United did not work out

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Everything about Aleksandar Mitrovic screamed: "Newcastle United centre-forward" during his three years on Tyneside but for a whole bunch of complex reasons the Serbia international's stay on Tyneside will always be a case of what might have been.

He loved the Geordie crowd and they loved him.

Newcastle United in 2019: Rafa Benitez's final game as Newcastle manager saw the Magpies run out as comfortable winners over Fulham - who included Aleksandar Mitrovic in their side

When Mitrovic bounced up and down to his terrace chant of: "Mitro's on fire", it looked like a love affair from heaven but the man who we were told would bring some "devilment" to Newcastle was on his way to hell and back.

As Mitrovic's time at United started to stumble to a deeply disappointing end, the conspiracy theories that the Press on the NUFC beat were against him raged on Twitter.

The truth is you could not find a better subject from a journalist's point of view and this seasoned hack was desperate to see him grasp his opportunity on a stage in St James' Park that was made for him.

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Morelos a good fit?

It’s not unfair to say that Newcastle United have struggled to score goals this season.

Between them, Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez managed 23 Premier League goals last season. That is just two fewer than Steve Bruce’s side have achieved during the current campaign.

Alfredo Morelos of Rangers reacts after his team score during the Ladbrokes Premiership match between Celtic and Rangers

Summer signing Joelinton hasn’t been able to provide the goal-scoring threat required, and Bruce will likely want to recruit a striker in the summer. Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos has been identified as one potential target for the club, but what would the Colombian bring to St James’ Park?

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UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin on fears for rest of campaign

UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin fears the season may not restart if it hasn't already by June.

"In this dramatic moment, the most important thing is people’s health and getting out of this crisis," he told La Repubblica. "Of course, the interruption of football symbolises that Europe and the world has stopped.

"We don’t know when this pandemic will end, but we have a plan A, B and even C. We are in contact with the Leagues, with the clubs, there’s a working group. We have to wait, like any other sector.

"[We could] start again in mid-May, in mid-June or at the end of June. Then, if we don’t succeed, the season is probably lost. There is also the proposal to end this season at the start of the next, which would then be postponed, starting a little later.

"We will see what the best solutions for the different Leagues and clubs are. It’s difficult to imagine all the games behind closed doors, but now we don’t even know if we will resume, with or without spectators.

"If there are no other alternatives, it would still be better to conclude the championships. I can say that I don’t think about the European Cup Finals behind closed doors."

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Why didn't James Milner make it at NUFC?

For many Newcastle United fans the sale of a player that often sticks out the most is that of James Milner.

The England international, who now has two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a League Cup and Champions League win to his name, was sold for around £12 million 12 years ago.

Milner, who is on the verge of adding another Premier League title to his trophy cabinet, left Tyneside in August 2008 - one of the transfers that prompted the exit of then manager Kevin Keegan.

But even before he moved on to Aston Villa, there was the feeling that some on Tyneside were never his biggest fan - according to the scout that brought him to Newcastle.

Paul Montgomery was one of Sir Bobby Robson's most trusted scouts, and when the Newcastle boss wanted to make the most of Leeds United's money woes, and snap up a bargain - it was Milner who was recommended.

"Bob rang me and said 'Leeds have got a firesale, any players we can get?'

"I told him 'no, we can't sign any' that was because they had some big-name players that would have cost a bit - even in a firesale.

"But I told Bobby that there was one player he might be able to sneak out - the young boy, Milner who plays up-front.

"I always got the feeling that some didn't really fancy him - there was negativity over his end product.

"But for me, what a player.

"Every time I went up to the training ground, he was on the pitch, practising and practising.

"Even when I went down to Villa for a behind closed doors game, who was last off the pitch? It was Milner again.

"He just had an amazing attitude, just unbelievable."

James Milner and Pep Guardiola of Liverpool and Manchester City respectively. (Image: Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
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Good morning!

It was great to re-watch that 5-0 thumping of MUFC wasn't it?

We spoke to three men who were involved.

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