Perhaps it’s a sign of the times that one player would now be willing to snub interest from Manchester United in order to choose a move to Newcastle. In the days of Sir Alex Ferguson that would have rarely been the case, but Erik ten Hag’s team now don’t quite have the same pull. On the other hand, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United project is mostly going from strength to strength, albeit for the disruption that injuries have caused this season. Of course, that explains why Newcastle are now exploring the transfer market for opportunities – they recognise that their squad is either too frail or to…