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Opinion

These two factors to decide Newcastle United major January transfer window activity or not

1 year ago
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The January transfer window is already in full swing.

Liverpool, Leeds, Brentford, Man Utd, Chelsea and Southampton have already brought players in, but no move from Newcastle United yet. Apart from the opening of the January transfer window seeing Garang Kuol formally become a Newcastle player after his signing in September.

By this point in January 2022, Newcastle United had already signed Kieran Trippier, with Chris Wood set to follow him in on 12 January 2022. The end of that window seeing Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn also bought in, with Matt Targett also arriving on loan.

Obviously a very different situation then, Newcastle United fighting a desperate relegation battle that Eddie Howe and the new owners had inherited mid-season from Steve Bruce and Mike Ashley.

When asked about the 2023 January transfer window, Eddie Howe has said that due to the eight signings he has made in the previous two windows and the form shown by existing players that have massively benefited by the change of Head Coach, he thinks the bottom line is that it is far more difficult now to improve his first eleven.

The NUFC boss indicating that whilst he expects to strengthen his squad, almost certainly with a young player or two, the jury remains out on whether there will be any major activity this month, on the scale of a Bruno, Botman or Isak.

When it comes to significant January transfer window activity, I think that these two factors will decide whether there is any major Newcastle United business.

Firstly, if any of the club’s long range targets becomes available at an enticing price, then Newcastle will act, rather than waiting for the summer window. James Maddison springs to mind but current injury issues complicate his situation, refusing to sign a new contract the midfielder only has 18 months left on his Leicester deal.

However, if Maddison, or any other high profile and expensive target, is made available now AND at an attractive transfer fee, then Newcastle can be expected to act, to ensure nobody else gets in first.

Secondly, injury.

In the summer, Alexander Isak arrived late in the window after Callum Wilson picked up yet another injury in the 3-3 draw with Man City. Very unlikely that such a big deal would have happened at this point without Wilson picking up that injury. Up to that point Newcastle had been chasing a younger more for the future striker at a far lower price.

Newcastle United have a few key players and any major injury to any of them, I think we can expect NUFC to act again.

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