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Newcastle United are set to sign six new players this summer as part of a close-season overhaul designed to make them fixtures in the top half of the Premier League.

United owner Mike Ashley said publicly last week that the club would invest in the close season and after a series of summits this week he has given the club’s managing director Lee Charnley the green light to firm up moves for stars like Danny Ings.

United’s owner gave his first televised interview last week and has now told key club staff that the Magpies are in good enough financial shape to be big players in the summer transfer market. His mood was said to be upbeat after securing survival and Newcastle have lined up deals that are ready to go after they make a head coach appointment – probably in the latter part of this week.

But Newcastle have opted against a move for Anderlecht’s Aleksandar Mitrovic after taking soundings about the Serbia striker. United want to improve the character of the squad and there are concerns that he may not fit into that new approach – but Ings and QPR frontman Charlie Austin do appear to be on the radar.

Ashley was on Tyneside for the Sports Direct end-of-season conference in the early part of the week and is understood to have spoken to Charnley at length about the plans for next season.

He has given the green light to spending a big chunk of last season’s profit on new players to take the club away from the trouble that they found themselves in until the final week of last season.

And interestingly the club are also looking at bringing in a couple of young development players as they look to replicate the success of the Ayoze Perez deal.

Concern about the crop of players coming through the Academy is nothing new and it has been re-stated in recent weeks when Newcastle had little to draw upon from the youth set-up – despite a flurry of injuries and suspensions.

Despite a re-organising of the Academy there aren’t many that will be able to make the next step and of those who might, United will send Adam Armstrong out on loan after seeing him stagnate this season.

Shane Ferguson, Haris Vuckic and Gael Bigirimana will also be free to leave and Newcastle have released Jonas Gutierrez and Ryan Taylor as part of a cull of first-teamers.

Newcastle admitted to making “mistakes” and know that they need to reclaim momentum.

To that end, United are set to release a mission statement in the coming days and the club’s approach to the FA Cup will be changed for next year.

After 18 desperate months at St James’ Park many are walking away from the club – and an equal number will suggest that they have heard these pledges before.

An extension on season ticket renewals has been offered and the club know that they have much, much more to do to convince people that Ashley’s words before the West Ham game should be taken seriously.

Similarly, talk of investment and a more competitive squad last season came to nothing – so the pressure is on despite securing survival with an ultimately straightforward win over the Hammers.