Former Magpies defender Philippe Albert feels the transfer market has over-inflated players' values

Newcastle United icon Philippe Albert will always be remembered for that outrageous chip against Manchester United and for personifiying the attacking era of the Kevin Keegan Entertainers.

But while the former Belgian international admits he has concerns about Newcastle's current trainsfer strategy following a summer which saw three big-name sales, Albert insists the money being spent on some big-name stars is 'crazy'.

And he claims that some of his former United team-mates during those glory days under Kevin Keegan would be worth twice as much as some of the sums paid in the modern game.

Albert keeps a close eye on his former club, having spent five years on Tyneside, where he came something of a cult hero among the Magpies faithful.

He was alarmed to see players such as Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes sold in the summer, with United needing to keep on the right side of strict financial rules, and does not feel they have replaced them with better players at this stage.

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However, when Tottenham put £100m on the table for Sandro Tonali, he admits they could not turn it down.

"The biggest concern for Newcastle at the moment is after winning some silverware, they are beginning to sell their best players," he told Flashscore.

"If you sell your best players, you have to buy even better players. That's not the case.

"But I can understand the owners when a club like Tottenham arrives and gives more than €100m for Tonali, it's impossible to keep him.

"It's far too much money for a player like him. That's crazy. Football is crazy over the last few years. Not just around the world, but in England especially. There's so much money for average players."

Albert played in a Premier League packed with big-name stars, and feels those players would command astonomical transfer fees in today's marker - particularly United legend Alan Shearer.

"If Giggs, Keane, Beckham, Cantona, Scholes, Ginola, Rob Lee, Alan Shearer, Tino Asprilla, Peter Beardsley, John Barnes, Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan were playing now, it's not £100m for them, it's £150m or £200m," he added.

"Of course, it's a joke. Shearer, when he signed for Newcastle, Kevin paid £15m for him. And it's peanuts.

"It's peanuts because he was the best striker in the world by the time. At least one of the best strikers in the world, and Kevin was right to go and take him."