Howe is worried about the player and wants Newcastle to sign three new players in January.
Newcastle United’s early focus on the January transfer window is understandable given their disappointing start to the season, which included losses to Nottingham Forest and Luton Town. Eddie Howe is eight points out of the top four in the Premier League and out of the Champions League, so it would be an understatement to suggest he needs help.
The Magpies need to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes they did in the summer transfer window when they didn’t bring in enough depth, regardless of who they signed in January. However, it is stated that this time, Howe has determined which stances he needs PIF to support.
Newcastle needs to make changes in January as Sandro Tonali is about to serve a 10-month ban; with the proper players, the season may still be saved. The lack of depth in the team has already cost St. James’ Park, and with injuries mounting, the last thing they need is to lose out on another player in the transfer market. In just a few days, when the window opens, they’ll unquestionably ones to watch out for. Luke Edwards of The Telegraph reports that Howe is looking to add up to three players in January, with an attacker and a midfielder reportedly being his top targets in addition to another goalkeeper. This comes after Nick Pope’s injury, which may cause him to miss most of the season, and worries over stand-in Martin Dubravka’s performance lately.
In the meanwhile, the Magpies still require more depth at forward and a replacement for Tonali after his ban. With Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak out due to injury setbacks throughout the current campaign, Howe’s options are currently limited.
The Magpies have a chance to salvage their season before it’s too late if the coach has his wish fulfilled next month.
Although a major contributing factor to their downfall has been poor recruitment, Newcastle’s injury list hasn’t helped either. Howe stated: “Of course, we’ve suffered the injuries we’ve had and those players you see aren’t available” before his team’s journey to Anfield on New Year’s Day. In the upcoming days, I don’t think anyone will be returning. Joelinton’s reappearance was greatly appreciated; we had genuinely missed him. Additionally, there are still individuals who are developing their fitness through competition, which is never ideal. Several of these guys were present on the field today. We haven’t had an easy time, and in my opinion, I should take the lead in acknowledging that in my assessment of the squad.
With up to nine absences, it’s safe to say Newcastle’s season hasn’t started well. But with three major targets identified by Howe, the January transfer window might change that.