Which players could join Newcastle in the January transfer window?

Eddie Howe must be scratching his head as the footballing gods have not been kind to him and his team this season.

The Magpies had a run of nightmare draws in the Carabao Cup, facing both Manchester clubs and Chelsea in that competiton, while they were competing in the group of death in the Champions League. 

Given the sheer intensity of those matches coupled with the Magpies' energetic style of play, the extra pressure placed on a thin Newcastle squad was bound to have consequences on the injury front.

But nobody could have imagined an injury crisis like this, with the number of unavailable players often being in double figures.

The pressure has cranked up a gear on Tyneside in recent weeks, as Howe's depleted troops have been knocked out of Europe and the Carabao Cup and have slumped to defeats against strugglers Luton Town and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

The Magpies are now ninth, 11 points adrift of Arsenal in fourth. However, they did return to winning ways in the FA Cup third round with a 3-0 victory over bitter rivals Sunderland.

The January transfer window may have come at the perfect time for the Geordies, as they look to reboot their season and return to the form that brought them back into the Champions League. 

Newcastle's recruitment has been very impressive since the takeover, with recruits like Sven Botman and Anthony Gordon impressing, however the 2023 summer window has come under scrutiny, with Sandro Tonali banned, Harvey Barnes injured and Lewis Hall playing a minor role.

Tino Livramento has shone since his arrival and has been one of the main benefactors of the injury crisis, alongside 17-year-old Lewis Miley, but it's largely been the same core group of players that have been playing twice a week and Newcastle need numbers through the door to make sure the second half of the season doesn't follow the same pattern as the first. 

January is a notoriously difficult month to do deals in, but there are some options that Howe might like.

Kalvin Phillips

Kalvin Phillips has been heavily linked with a move away from Manchester City for months and when we looked at potential destinations for the England midfielder, Newcastle was one of the most attractive options for him.

Newcastle are in desperate need of reinforcements in the middle of the park, with Joe Willock and Elliot Anderson injured, Sandro Tonali suspended and an over-reliance on Bruno Guimaraes. 

Phillips would fit in well with the Newcastle midfield, as there have been concerns from supporters and pundits about the lack of a number six in midfield and as we saw in Euro 2020 Phillips can fill that role against opposition of the highest level.

Other clubs are rumoured to be interested in Phillips including Italian giants Juventus, but Planet Sport ambassador Robbie Savage thinks that Newcastle would be the best option and Howe has admitted that he likes the 28-year-old.

According to the bookies, Phillips has a good chance of trading sky blue for the black and white stripes, with odds of him joining Newcastle at around the 4/6 mark.

 

Aaron Ramsdale

Ever since it was revealed that Nick Pope was going to be out for months with a shoulder injury, speculation has been mounting regarding a short-term replacement. 

Martin Dubravka has been stepping into the void left by Pope, but Newcastle have conceded 18 goals in the nine games when the Slovakian has been in goal. 

If Newcastle chose to look for a Pope replacement in the loan market the Aaron Ramsdale could be a potential option. 

England's Ramsdale is currently out of favour at Arsenal due to the arrival of David Raya and it looks like there's not much chance of Ramsdale moving back up the pecking order, which could damage the ex-Bournemouth man's chances of making the Euro 2024 squad. 

Howe is a fan of the keeper, after he gave him the opportunity to play Premier League football at Bournemouth and if he wants to add another stopper to his ranks for the rest of the season then Ramsdale could be the one.

The bookies think that their could be a chance of this one happening, with odds of a Ramsdale move to Tyneside at around the 4/1 mark.

 

Serhou Guirassy

Financial Fair Play could restrict Newcastle's spending this month, but there is one budget-friendly option that is attracting many clubs' attention and with a rumoured release clause in the region of £15 million, this could be one of the bargains of the window.

Serhou Guirassy has attracted lots of attention with his goalscoring exploits this season, as he's scored 17 goals in 14 Bundesliga games for Stuttgart this season, a total that is only bettered by Harry Kane.

On paper, Newcastle have two very good strikers in the form of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, but it is extremely rare that both are available for selection at the same time. 

Wilson is a frequent visitor to the Newcastle treatment room, while Isak struggles when he's asked to play several games in a row due to Wilson's absence.

The Swedish international often picks up muscle injuries, most notably a thigh injury last season and a calf injury he suffered in the Champions League game with Borussia Dortmund.

Guirassy would not only be an FFP compliant signing, he would also inject some energy into a Newcastle attack which has struggled with fatigue and injury this season. 

If Newcastle are to enter the market for a forward option, then the sharp-shooting Guirassy could well be their man, but they will have to be quick with the Guinea international also attracting interest from the likes of West Ham and Manchester United.

 

Other potential signings

Other players that have been linked with a move to the Toon include Barcelona's centre half Andreas Christensen and RB Salzburg's wonderkid Amar Dedic.