Newcastle United have a midfielder and full-backs on their wish list for January, but the club may make “opportunistic” moves for marquee names if they become available.
A month out from the transfer window, it is being stressed that detailed plans are not yet fully formed at St James’ Park and targets have not yet been finalised.
There’s an expectation across recruitment circles of a quieter month, although The i Paper understands a number of clauses for high-profile players become active in January to mirror the situation with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.
Whether Newcastle act in that market or not is unclear. Talks between Ross Wilson, the club’s new director of football, and Eddie Howe have centred largely on the make-up of the current squad and the areas where he feels they are light rather than names.
A reunion with £100m-rated midfielder Elliot Anderson remains the club’s recruitment “north star” for 2026.
Running alongside that desire to take high calibre international talent is a recognition that they have to get smarter and drive average age of the squad down.
That’s why in the background Newcastle have expanded their recruitment network and are fast-tracking the use of data in their scouting under new technical director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan.
The i Paper understands tailored scouting algorithms devised by “Suds”, as he is known, are being used to compile lists of “under-the-radar” targets who fit Howe’s preferred style and could be considered in January and beyond.
Is there money to spend in January?
British record sale of Alexander Isak means there is. “Can we spend in January? Yes. If we want to, we can,” Wilson said.
“I think it’s fairly obvious to everybody given the level of club spend in the summer that we’re not going to do that again in the winter window as well, for a variety of reasons. But if we want to spend, we can.
“Of course, we’ll be creative, of course we’ll be opportunistic as well. But probably the most important thing is that it would have to align with what the summer plan looks like, which is the bigger squad plan.”
Which names are worth looking out for?
Having fudged the issue in the summer after losing out on James Trafford, Newcastle want to build a goalkeeper succession plan soon. Nick Pope’s mistakes have thrown that into sharp focus.
One option that has support among the technical team is returning for Trafford and the player has always been “up” on a move to Newcastle but his wages and transfer fee might be problematic. The i Paper revealed last week that Newcastle have watched Toulouse’s France under-21 international Guillaume Restes in recent weeks.
Newcastle have expanded their recruitment network since Wilson was appointed and the use of data in signings is one area he has identified as being a priority. In practice that should mean a pivot away from Premier League-ready players – an area Howe prefers – and towards European and under-valued players in lesser-known markets.
Of course it’s always a blend. Anderson is seen as a possible “franchise” player who could be part of the club’s ambitious 2030 plan if they could tempt him back, but Newcastle need to marry those kind of targets with less vaunted names.
Convincing Howe to sign “project players” – including those from South America – was not something Wilson’s predecessor succeeding in so it will be fascinating to see the direction of travel.
Kees Smit, the 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar player, is an example of player who ticks the boxes of being up-and-coming but also seen as making an impact in the here and now. Expectations of a January move have been played down of late.
What about selling players?
Newcastle would consider sales of fringe men and Will Osula, still coveted by Eintracht Frankfurt, and Joe Willock, who has been linked with Crystal Palace, feel the most likely to depart.
But there’s no pressure to sell a star man to comply with financial fair play.
There is an acceptance internally, though, that they need to match the ambition of stars like Sandro Tonali to keep them at the club – or, to be brutally honest, pay them more.
Newcastle have opened talks with Sven Botman and Tino Livramento. On Botman The i Paper understands he is keen to stay although the two parties are apart are on terms.
Wilson has now completed the contract audit that took up some of his early weeks in the job. “My first three or four days in the job was when I found that Sandro’s contract situation as significantly better than the one I was expecting,” he explained.
“My first days were about analysing contracts – where are we, where are we strong, where are we weak, where have we got issues?
“It’s no secret at all that we would want to extend Tino’s contract and we would want to extend Sven Botman’s contract too. Those discussions are ongoing.
“Some discussions are more difficult than others, but the desire would be to keep those players. Will they agree those contracts? At the moment, I think it’s too early to say.”
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