Players who could join Newcastle in January
The January transfer window is always an interesting time in the English Premier League, as teams go in search of a quick fix or a band aid to hold their ailing squad together. Last season’s big January signing was a loan deal, as Gareth Bale took a break from his Real Madrid nightmare to re-join Spurs.
With Man Utd in turmoil, Newcastle having secured the richest owners in world football, and Man City seemingly in a rush to let another world class striker leave their squad, and this coming January transfer window could be more eventful than the last.
Here we focus mainly on the Toon Army, who have their tails up having secured the sort of funding that most clubs can only dream of. Which players will they be in the market for, and which ones are they likely to get their hands on?
With Steve Bruce and Mike Ashley gone, St James’ Park is buzzing again, but who will their new manager bring into the club in January?
Raheem Sterling – From Euro 2020 Finalist to Man City Outsider
He defied all the betting tipsters and odds makers to be lauded as one of the players of the tournament at Euro 2020, but no sooner had he returned to Man City than he was in Pep Guardiola’s bad books again. It is unclear what brought this about, but Sterling’s lack of technical ability and finishing craft has always left him someway down the pecking order at the Etihad. However, with Aguero moving to Barcelona it was expected that Sterling would still start a good number of games, with betting punters wagering on him to do just that. Instead, there are now rumours that the 26-year-old could be shipped out of the club in January so that Phil Foden can get more game time. It’s no surprise that the best football tips experts and columnists are all in agreement that his likely destination will be Arsenal, Liverpool, or Newcastle. City will probably be happier if he heads to the Toon rather than Anfield, and the Northeast club now have the financial muscle to compete for Sterling’s signature.
The glory days of when Kevin Keegan nearly delivered the Premier League title look like they could be returning to Tyneside, but money does not always guarantee success
Donny van de Beek – A Flop Who Wants to Prove Himself
There was great fanfare when Man Utd signed Donny van de Beek for over £30m, but since then he has hardly been given a chance to prove what he can do in the first team. Seen as a well-rounded midfielder who is as adept at attacking as he is in defence, the new Newcastle manager would certainly love to have him on board to cover for men like Jonjo Shelvey, who spend more time on the physio table than out on the turf at St James’. The only thing that may scupper a move could be Fred and Scott McTominay turning in sub-par performances, which might convince Ole Gunnar Solskjær to hold onto his expensive young asset.
Alexandre Lacazette – Perfect Foil for Callum Wilson
It is never a bad thing to have lots of attacking talent at your disposal as a Premier League manager, and Newcastle already have plenty to hand in the form of a newly fit Callum Wilson, and Allan Saint-Maximin. However, what the Toon really need is a foil for Wilson, who can also nip in on the end of Saint-Maximin’s deadly crosses. The established Premier League goal getter Alexandre Lacazette could be just the man for the job. He has featured less and less under Mikel Arteta and may decide that enough is enough in January. The Frenchman will probably not be that keen to leave the warmer climes of London for the Northeast, but it is amazing how money can warm the cockles of even the most cold-weather-averse star.
