Eddie Howe has predicted that 'world-class facilities' would be a 'game-changer' for Newcastle United.

Newcastle hope to soon reach a decision on whether to 'transform' St James' Park or build a new stadium elsewhere and the Magpies also want to one day construct a state-of-the-art training ground. The Daily Mail have reported that Newcastle have even enlisted the services of Populous, the architectural firm who designed Real Madrid's magnificent training base.

Although Newcastle are facing restrictions in the transfer market, when it comes to being able to strengthen the squad while still complying with PSR rules, the club's owners will be able to showcase their ambition by taking the black-and-whites' infrastructure to the next level.

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"I'd certainly like to think so," Howe told reporters. "That's really important and I always say that when you're trying to build a football club upwards and forwards.

"The infrastructure is so important. The training ground is where the players live day-to-day. That environment is key. It can help you recruit players. It can help you keep players happy.

"We need world-class facilities if the club's ambitions are to be realised and, of course, that's interlinked with the stadium. Our stadium is fantastic now and I love playing there but if we are to improve, whether that means staying or leaving, whatever the outcome, trying to bring world-class facilities here will be a game-changer for us."

Howe provided input when Newcastle's current Benton base was modernised and the Magpies boss and assistant Jason Tindall also previously spent time designing Bournemouth's new training ground during their time on the South Coast. However, Howe does not think he will be directly involved in this newbuild.

"That will be for other people to design," he said. "You have to remember the history of Bournemouth. I was all over everything. I don’t mean that as a negative - there just wasn’t the infrastructure that there is here. We had gone from League Two to the Premier League.

"This is a very different club and with decisions around the training ground and stadium, I will be very much in the background, hearing what is happening from the experts involved, and, hopefully, looking on in awe at what we’re going to do."

On the subject of the stadium, Newcastle's chief operating officer, Brad Miller, has repeatedly highlighted how the club's chosen scheme must deliver strong revenue growth as well as a 'fantastic' experience for supporters. Newcastle only need to look at the impact a newly-renovated and expanded Santiago Bernabeu has had to realise both are possible.

In fact, Deloitte revealed this week that Real Madrid's match day income, alone, has more than doubled while commercial revenue has jumped by 20%. These huge increases have helped Real Madrid become the first football club to generate more than €1bn (£844m) in revenue in a season.

Digging deeper, match day income was the fastest growing revenue stream in Deloitte's Money League and Liverpool and Lyon were among those sides to benefit from increased capacities. Higher attendances and non-match day events have boosted these clubs' match day and commercial income streams respectively.

The Money League certainly gives Newcastle food for thought. Newcastle may have leapfrogged Juventus into 15th place, but the table highlights the need for the black-and-whites to further boost income streams. In fact, the estimated €378.1m (£319.42m) that Newcastle brought in may be a club record, but it was less than half of Manchester City's overall turnover.

"Those things are always interesting to read and absorb," Howe added. "I think we've still got a long way to go. When you compare our revenue streams to the clubs, certainly above us in that league table, there's a big gap to fill."