Newcastle United is eager for the January transfer market to open in order to boost their chances of having a good season. Here are the four players they will attempt to recruit and the four they most definitely won’t.
The Magpies are in desperate need of reinforcements following a difficult December that saw them eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the Champions League, as well as suffer costly Premier League losses to teams like Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton.
Eddie Howe has already made it clear that the Magpies are fully aware of the limitations imposed by their ongoing battle with Financial Fair Play regulations during the January transfer window. To borrow a term from club officials, this means the team will need to be resourceful in how they conduct business.
He stated, “No, we have not received those assurances,” in a statement on Friday. I believe that, as we often remark in January, it is a challenging month. If it seems like I’m repeating myself, I apologize. However, it is a very challenging month to bring in top players. Let’s wait and see as Financial Fair Play is still taken into consideration when making decisions.”
As Howe’s long injury list begins to taper off in the first month of the new year, loan deals, cut-price offers for players nearing the end of their contracts, and free agents may very well be the priority. There have also been rumors that the number of players added will be restricted to two or three.
But which players can we cross off a list of rumored targets and who might Newcastle target during the January transfer window?
Could be: Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips
The England international has been a long-term goal for the Magpies, who first became aware of their interest while he was at Leeds United. The St. James Park administration has long had admirers for Phillips, and it’s thought that before the midfielder’s £42 million transfer to Manchester City, a tentative approach was made to the Whites. After an 18-month difficult stint with the treble winners, there have been rumors of a January loan move involving Phillips.
Will not: Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris
The Magpies are reportedly considering a number of possibilities, including the seasoned goalkeeper, as they prepare to be without Nick Pope for some time. Lloris has not made an appearance for Spurs yet this season, and it is anticipated that he may depart the team in the upcoming weeks. It was reported on Friday that the France international is in negotiations with MLS team LAFC, and it appears that this will be his long-term home rather than a temporary move to the North East.
David de Gea
Another goalie that is reportedly being considered to temporarily replace Pope is De Gea. The former Manchester United player is thought to have drawn interest from teams in La Liga and the Saudi Pro-League, although he is now without a club after leaving Old Trafford. He is now waiting on his next club, though, so Newcastle would be inclined to give him an opportunity to play in the Premier League again. De Gea would have to give up a large portion of his rumored £370,000 weekly salary from his last years at Old Trafford.
Romelu Lukaku (on loan at Roma from Chelsea) will not
This one may be written off right away as fantasy chatter, and it most likely stems from agents hoping for an early explanation of the striker’s Chelsea future or a permanent move to Roma. Due to Lukaku’s salary demands, the Magpies would be unable to afford this deal, and it appears that it would be entirely inconsistent with their commercial practices since the Saudi-led purchase just over two years ago.
Potential: Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitike
The Magpies’ other long-term objective and another player who is thought to be accessible during the January transfer window on a loan arrangement. That would accommodate United’s current dispute with Financial Fair Play rules and enable them to evaluate the France Under-21 international ahead of any long-term commitment next summer. The only issue with this scenario is that Newcastle would have to swallow some pride since Ekitike was turned down twice in the past two years for a move to Tyneside.
Will not: Barcelona’s Raphinha
After keeping an eye on the winger while he was at Leeds United, Newcastle had expressed interest in Raphinha. There was some rumors of the Brazil star making an unexpected summer transfer. Again, though, a substantial transfer fee and substantial compensation demands suggest that this one should definitely be disregarded for the time being.
Could be: Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy
For a few reasons, this now seems like a more practical offensive alternative. A number of clubs have taken notice of Guirassy as a result of his incredible first half to the Bundesliga season, scoring 19 goals in 16 games in all competitions for Stuttgart. The Guinea international’s current contract has an alleged release clause of approximately £15 million, and the Magpies may decide to make a play for him given his reasonable salary demands.
Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal) will not
Earlier in the season, there had been rumors of a loan deal for Neves, which has reportedly drawn criticism from Premier League competitors who felt the Magpies were abusing their connections in Saudi Arabia. Though he has fans at Newcastle, the former Wolves player appears content with life in the Pro League, so a move would be quite unexpected if it did occur.