Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe pieces are beginning to fall into place for Newcastle to land one of their long-term summer transfer targets before the September 1 deadline.Earlier in the window, highly-rated Swedish international Bergvall emerged as one of Newcastle's midfield targets after having slipped down the pecking order in North London.Despite holding an interest throughout the summer, the Magpies' approach to formalising a transfer has left supporters asking what the delay could be.Lucas Bergvall to Newcastle United delay revealedA potential reason for Newcastles hesitation could be due to UEFA legislation termed 'the 45-day rule'.On July 6, Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham in a reported �92.5 million deal. Under the newly enforced regulations, if two clubs buy and sell from one another within a 45-day window, the transactions are officially classed as a 'swap deal' for accounting purposes. You may like Newcastle United target moves closer to exit after manager's revealing comments Tottenham Hotspur eye �100m Premier League star: report Newcastle United midfielder 'agrees contract' with Premier League club as �90m transfer advances: report The rule was introduced by the Premier League's financial regulators to close an accounting loophole created by reciprocal transfer arrangements designed to artificially inflate a club's short-term profits in order to comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).Newcastle fans will recall one major example of this reciprocal arrangement two summers ago, when ahead of the June 30 accounting deadline in 2024, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest avoided breaching PSR limits by agreeing two technically separate transactions.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Newcastle sold academy graduate Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for �35m, meanwhile Forest sold goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos to Newcastle for �20m.Both clubs netted an immediate PSR benefit helping them abide by the admittedly flawed PSR parameters.Fast forward to this summer, and had Newcastle signed Bergvall in the 45-day period following Tonali's move, they would have been required to record only the net difference of the two transfers, effectively wiping out the accounting benefit of Tonali's big-money departure. The 45-day period in question ends on August 20.From the 2026/27 season onwards, the existing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) will be fully replaced by the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) framework.This incoming legislation limits a club's total on-pitch spending, covering transfer amortisation, player wages, and agent fees, to 85 per cent of their overall football-related revenue.A club's pure profit from player sales directly dictates their spending threshold, too. By ensuring Tonali's exit and Bergvall's arrival remain completely separate transactions, Newcastles hierarchy can book the full profit upfront. This will provide essential headroom to adhere to the incoming Squad Cost Limits and will help the club's spending power for critical transitional years ahead.TOPICSSandro TonaliTottenham HotspurNewcastle UnitedPremier LeagueJoe DonnohueSocial Links NavigationSenior Digital WriterJoe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.
