'Trying to find out more': Journalist makes baffling transfer claim after taking shot at X users

The internet is a fully old place as we've said a fair few times before. Everyone just wants that little bit of attention and some people will go to any lengths to get it.

When it comes to football internet, there's a group of people who take to social media who are now known as ITKs (In The Know) and they are generally folks who post random crap, usually about transfer stories that they've just made up, or they've extrapolated from media reports.

They generally have no insider information but like to pretend they have, and they operate on the law of averages. Throw enough crap and eventually something will stick which will inevitably lead to that person reposting their original claim with the eyes emoji or "As I said...". It's pathetic but it's a part of this modern-day life.

The Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards took aim at these ITK's on Monday after it emerged that Malick Thiaw's agent had denied the links with Newcastle United.

We all wish ITKs would STFU but they're here to stay

Luke quoted the post from journalist Patrick Berger citing the quotes from Thiaw's agent and delivered the following message:

"It’s probably time for a few fake ITKs to be quiet for a while. Filling the void with educated guess work isn’t helpful for anything or anyone other than their follower numbers. The transfer window grift."

We have no issue with this, it's bound to be frustrating as a legitimate journo seeing people put more stock in the rumours coming from ITKs than those you've worked hard writing a detailed piece on. However, to come out the very next day and deliver the most wishy-washy ITK-esque post, is not the best look.

Hypocrisy thy name is Luke

We're not digging out Luke here, as much as it sounds like we are, but the day after having a pop at ITKs, he posts a tweet that basically tells us nothing and that could easily be a candidate for some eye emoji reposting down the line is a bit rich.

"I think we are close to seeing a breakthrough in #nufc recruitment this summer. Trying to find out more but could be Thiaw. Could be a name that comes completely out of the blue."

We've said for a few weeks that we've felt like there's a signing coming. It's based on nothing but blind faith and the disbelief that we've not signed anyone all month, but we're not "legitimate journalists" who are supposed to have contacts and actually know things, we just give our two pence worth on stuff that's already floating around.

Unless it's Sela Cup-related, then we're all over it with the exclusives!

Obviously, we hope Luke Edwards is right and something is going on, but there's nothing to say that this wasn't just the rumblings around Rory Finneran.