Newcastle United has already made its first move of the January transfer window and it’s a clear statement of intent that the Magpies will be active to avoid relegation, sitting in 19th place with just one win and 11 total points.
The club managed by Eddie Howe has one of the league’s worst defenses, with 42 goals conceded in just 19 matches and an all-time worst total of 80 goals allowed in the 2021 calendar year. But he has helped address those shortcomings by adding England international Kieran Trippier in a $16.2 million transfer from Atletico Madrid. Trippier can play either fullback position and will bring quality, tenacity and leadership to the club.
But Newcastle will not just be looking at the defensive side of the ball. They’ve only scored just 19 goals themselves, which is worse than all but the other two teams in the relegation zone at the start of 2022. So attacking help will surely be coming before January is done.
The Magpies are under new ownership, recently acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, chaired by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed bin Salman. While there was backlash amid the takeover by what amounts essentially to a foreign government, the takeover went through and there are expected to be significant available funds for reinforcements this winter.
MORE: Man United winter transfer rumors & deals
Below is the updated list of Newcastle player transactions during the January 2022 transfer window and the updated squad list. It will be fascinating to see how much they do spend given the real threat of relegation and which players want to join actually the fight to avoid the drop.
Newcastle Transfers: January 2022 winter window
Players In:
| Date | Player | Position | Age | From | Transfer/Loan Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 7 | Kieran Trippier | Defender | 31 | Atletico Madrid | $16.2 million transfer + add-ons 2.5-year contract + option |
Players Out:
| Date | Player | Position | Age | Club | Transfer/Loan Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Newcastle United squad 2021-22
Below is the updated Newcastle United first-team roster. New additions during the January 2022 window will be noted in bold:
Goalkeepers (4): Karl Darlow, Martin Dubravka, Mark Gillespie, Freddie Woodman.
Defenders (10): Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Federico Fernandez, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Jamal Lewis, Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie, Fabian Schar, Kieran Trippier
Midfielders (8): Miguel Almiron, Elliot Anderson, Isaac Hayden, Jeff Hendrick, Sean Longstaff, Matty Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock.
Forwards (6): Ryan Fraser, Dwight Gayle, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy, Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson.
The current Newcastle projected first-choice starting lineup, when completely healthy, currently looks like:
Newcastle projected starting XI (4-5-1): Dubravka (GK) — Lewis, Lascelles, Schar, Trippier — Saint-Maximin, Shelvey, Joelinton, S. Longstaff, Fraser — Wilson.
Newcastle back-ups: Woodman (GK), Gillespie (GK), Clark (CB), Fernandez (CB), Krafth (RB), Manquillo (RB), Dummett (LB), Ritchie (LWB), Hendrick (CM), M. Longstaff (CM), Almiron (CAM), Anderson (CAM), Murphy (RW), Gayle (CF).
(GK = goalkeeper; CB = center back; LB = left back; RB = right back; CM = central midfielder; CAM = attacking midfielder; CF = center forward; LW = left wing; RW = right wing)
Newcastle transfer rumors & news
Here’s the latest on the Newcastle United transfer front based on reports in Europe:
Will Newcastle sign a new forward?
To add to Newcastle’s already significant list of woes, top scorer Callum Wilson was injured during the festive fixture finale, and suddenly the already thin attack looks even more paltry. Allan Saint-Maximin has also struggled with minor injuries, the target of opponents who often hack the talented winger.
This has caused the Magpies to look for attacking reinforcements, and they initially set their sights high, with links to the likes of Luka Jovic and Gabigol.
While those didn’t materialize, it does appear the Magpies finally have their new frontman, although it comes at a high price. According to John Percy of The Telegraph and Keith Downie of Sky Sports, Newcastle has met the release clause for Burnley striker Chris Wood, shelling out over $27 million for the Clarets frontman. Wood has just three Premier League goals in 17 appearances this season, but he’s done enough to impress Newcastle.
£20m a lot of money for Wood but Newcastle well aware they’re running out of time to get players in. Was imperative they got at least one striker in before Saturday. Still trying for a second #NUFC
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) January 11, 2022
Also recently mentioned is 19-year-old Stade Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, with Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports reporting that Newcastle is expected to submit a bid soon. The youngster has a contract through 2024 with the French side but his eight goals and three assists this season are enticing the Premier League side.
MORE: When the January window opens and closes around Europe
Newcastle was linked with Moussa Dembele (below) of Lyon back in December, and the Daily Mail claims that he continues to be an option. After breaking through with Fulham, Dembele has seen time with Celtic and Lyon before spending the second half of last season on loan at Atletico Madrid. The Spanish side decided against activating the option to buy, and with his contract expiring in the summer of 2023, Lyon could look to sell this winter.
Magipes definitely need defenders
While Trippier will be a welcome addition, the Magpies have shipped enough goals this season to indicate that one player alone won’t be sufficient to completely turn things around. Jamal Lascelles has dipped in form this season and his partnership with Fabian Schar has fallen apart. Newcastle has been linked with a zillion defenders as the club looks to find a deal that fits, but many of them have fallen apart.
Early January rumors involved Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti, who the Spanish club was reportedly attempting to move, motivated by a desire to shed his contract and wages. However, Barcelona announced on January 10 that Umtiti has finally agreed to a new contract, likely ending any chance of him leaving the club in the winter.
Newcastle could be afforded the chance to sign PSG defender Abdou Diallo, according to a report by journalist Liam Kennedy. The deal would be a tricky one as Diallo is on duty with Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations, and if the country progresses deep into the tournament, it could disrupt negotiations through the transfer window deadline. The 25-year-old signed for PSG in the summer of 2019 from Borussia Dortmund but has failed to nail down a meaningful starting spot.
Everton’s Mason Holgate has appeared as an option for Newcastle according to Sky Sports, but the Toffees have reportedly already rejected a loan bid by Trabzonspor and would like to keep hold of the young English defender if possible. Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic has reportedly been offered to the Magpies, according to The Express, although the 24-year-old has been a part of a leaky Fiorentina back line this season, with a 4-0 mid-January loss to Torino marking a low point in their season.
Sven Botman of Lille had been rumored but according to Luke Edwards of The Telegraph and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Lille is not open to a possible sale and any potential deal is dead. The Magpies also reportedly wanted to snatch James Tarkowski from fellow relegation battlers Burnley, but Edwards also reported it to be a remote possibility given Burnley’s struggles. And Newcastle was also reportedly rejected by Freiburg defender Nico Schlotterbeck who is hoping for a move to Bayern Munich instead.
Newcastle is also rumored to have made a bid for Everton wantaway Lucas Digne (below) according to Sky Sports, but it appears, according to a report by Sky’s Rob Dorsett, that Aston Villa has won the chase, with the sides in “advanced talks.”
Amid all the possibilities of incoming defenders, one player who could depart the club is the aforementioned Fabian Schar. The 30-year-old Swiss international has made 83 appearances for Newcastle since joining in 2018 from Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna, but according to journalist Nicolo Schira, Schar is hoping to sort out a future away from Tyneside this Janaury, with his contract expiring in the summer.
Other potential Newcastle United reinforcements
Newcastle has been linked with countless other players this transfer window, although few of them make much sense.
There are reports that the new Saudi owners have approved a massive bid for RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara, who is currently away on AFCON 2022 duty with Mali and could cost upwards of $110 million. According to The Express, Newcastle’s new overlords are ready to let loose an enormous bid prior to his $45 million release clause activates this summer, opening the floodgates on teams wanting in on the action.
One name that raises eyebrows is Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, and as Luke Edwards reports, there’s reason to believe it could happen. Despite plenty of fan outcry and journalist head-scratching, Van de Beek has hardly been given a chance at Old Trafford despite a host of squad movement, tactical adjustments, and player shifting since he signed in the summer of 2020.
With Newcastle looking for players to fill in all over the pitch, he could be a low-risk option if acquired on loan, and Manchester United could be convinced to let Van de Beek leave given the bloated squad Ralf Rangnick has at his disposal. It would be hard to imagine United giving up completely on Van de Beek with a permanent sale, but a loan could make sense for all involved.
