Wolves the template for Newcastle's new owners, says Bruno Lage

Fosun bought Wolves in 2016 and invested heavily in the side to earn promotion from the Championship and then sustain Premier League football.

They have made several big changes to the club over the years, from the pre-match atmosphere to investments outside of football, but they have largely kept the fan base happy by sticking with long-held traditions.

Head coach Lage insists that identity and connection with the supporters is essential and has urged the Toon’s new Saudi Arabian owners to follow in Wolves’ footsteps and not steal the club away from loyal fans.

When asked for his thoughts on the takeover, Lage said: “I don’t have a big opinion, in these modern days this kind of thing can happen.

“When you buy a club you cannot take the club from the fans, I think this is the most important thing.

“For Wolves, we can feel that. The owner is not English but he doesn’t take the club from the fans or the club from what it means.

“In this case, this is the most important thing.

“Ours is a good example, when the owner is foreign and some of the staff and some of the players, but the club belongs to the fans. They know they are there for the club and the club is there for them.

“That’s the most important thing in these situations.”

The Newcastle takeover has been a controversial one, considering Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights.

Some have also condemned the vast sums of money the new owners are expected to pump into the club as they search for success.

Lage, meanwhile, has also warned that money does not always equal success.

When asked if the takeover makes his job more difficult at Wolves, Lage added: “This league is very hard. I don’t think too much about it, I’m so focused on what I have to do that I don’t have time to think about what happens at Newcastle or other clubs.

“I believe that you cannot do (everything) with money. I worked in Dubai for two years and even with a lot of money you cannot change things.

“First you need to see the money come, then they need to convince the players to come. It’s not about money, it’s about everything around it.

“I’m not the right guy to talk about it, for sure they have people to understand and create a pathway for the club for the next few years.”

Meanwhile, Lage has confirmed that Francisco Trincao will miss the trip to Villa Park tomorrow.

The winger tested positive for Covid-19 when he arrived for international duty with Portugal last Wednesday.

He has been isolating in Portugal since and will not leave isolation until Sunday.