Before the vital holiday season, Newcastle United is desperate for some relief from their long injury list. They are currently at a standstill.
Nick Pope suffered a serious shoulder injury last weekend, which will prevent him from playing for the majority of the remaining campaign. Eddie Howe was already dealt a further blow by the loss of key players like Sven Botman and Callum Wilson for large portions of the season.
As the Magpies get ready for a challenging away day at Tottenham Hotspur before hosting AC Milan in their final Champions League group stage match, there is some hope that Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes, and Sean Longstaff will be back in contention over the next ten days.
But by the time the new year rolls around, Howe will be crossing his fingers that his already thin squad can avoid injuries long enough to handle a demanding schedule that also includes Fulham, Chelsea, Luton Town, and Nottingham Forest.
However, with the January transfer window opening and the Magpies already being linked to a lot of strange and amazing names in domestic and international media, the new year will bring new hope. Some of these are somewhat accurate, and some aren’t even on the St. James Park hierarchy’s agenda, but who could the Magpies realistically bring in during January as they aim to contend for major honors on several fronts?
Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips.
The Manchester City midfielder has long been the subject of interest, stemming from his days as a player for Leeds United. It would be absurd to argue that Phillips’ transfer to the Etihad Stadium has been beneficial in the slightest, given that he is now required to fill a supporting role in a City team that is winning.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, apologized on Friday for his chaotic state of mind, saying, “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” I’m really sorry about what I decided for him. I’ve stated it numerous times.
I’m very sorry; he doesn’t deserve what has happened to him. All I can say about him is that he is the epitome of the kind of person I ask for—good personalities and characters. And I was supposed to give him something after that, but I didn’t.”
Given that Newcastle is fighting financial fair play regulations and Phillips needs regular first-team football to contend for a spot in England’s Euro 2024 Final, a loan agreement might be beneficial to all sides and allow the situation to be reevaluated at the end of the season.
Hugo Ekitike, a member of PSG
Another long-term goal, and one that might force Newcastle to swallow some pride after the young Frenchman turned down two previous approaches from the Magpies.
Ekitike chose to stay in Reims at the last minute, delaying his anticipated move to St. James Park in the January 2022 transfer window. Six months later, he signed a contract with PSG on a temporary basis, which was extended into a permanent move this summer, but he also turned down another offer. Ekitike, though, hasn’t exactly made an impression at Parc des Princes and is reportedly free in January.
Newcastle needs to expand their options for forwards, and once more, a loan agreement might benefit all sides and give the young forward a chance to pick up where his once-promising career seems to have stopped.
Guirassy Serhou – VFB Stuttgart
Newcastle’s owners are well-known to be wealthy, but their attempts to comply with financial fair play regulations means they have to be cautious in January and focus on value for money acquisitions.
This entails taking into account players who are nearing the end of their current contracts or those who have release clauses; Guirassy, the star striker for Stuttgart, is said to fall into the latter of those two groups.
The 12-time Guinea international has scored 18 goals in just 13 games across all competitions this season, and his current contract is rumored to have a release clause worth about £15 million. There is fierce competition for his services, but should Newcastle prevail in that race, they will have a legitimate rival and substitute for Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak.
David de Gea, unrestricted
In light of Nick Pope’s potentially season-ending injury, it is crucial to note that current Magpies goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will be given an opportunity to establish a regular spot. The Slovakian international started Thursday night’s 3-0 loss at Everton and will stay in the starting lineup going forward.
If Dubravka does not perform well, though, other goalkeepers will be taken into consideration, which might result in a move for former Manchester United stopper David De Gea. The 45-time capped Spain international, who is still a free agent despite interest from Saudi Arabia and La Liga, will have to accept a substantial drop in pay from the rumored £375,000 per week he earned in his final years at Old Trafford, but he would give Howe a world-class goalkeeper to fill in for Pope.
Minteh Yankuba – Feyenoord
Although we have technically cheated a little here, Minteh’s future professional steps are being carefully considered. After signing a £6 million contract with the Magpies last summer, the former Odense winger was promptly loaned to Eredivise champions Feyenoord for the entire season.
In 16 appearances across all competitions, the 19-year-old has shown promise at the De Kuip Stadium, tallying three goals and dishing out two assists. Minteh’s loan deal with Feyenoord is not thought to have a break clause, so Newcastle would have to pay a fee to bring him back to Tyneside in January. However, Eddie Howe has already stated that option is being considered in light of St. James Park’s extensive injury list.
