We are midway through the winter transfer window and one Premier League club that needs a big January is Newcastle United. Outside90’s Anthony Margaretic looks at how they have performed thus far and outlines how they can further strengthen their ranks.
The Magpies have bought two new players, in central-midfield pair Henri Saivet and Jonjo Shelvey. The latter was the standout performer in the 2-1 win over West Ham United last Saturday, meaning he is already starting to justify his £12 million tag that initially raised a few eyebrows.
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While he has only played once and fans should not get carried away, the early signs are very encouraging and his game by numbers against the Hammers clearly points out what the Toon have been missing all season. The 23-year-old midfielder recorded 60 passes with a 91% completion rate, also showing a great willingness to get forward by completing 14 passes in the final third, one of which set up the opening goal. However, it was his pass which led to the second goal which has got Newcastle fans talking. The debutant hit a perfect 60-yard diagonal ball which found Daryl Janmaat, who then found Georginio Wijnaldum to finish. That pass from Shelvey bought about comparisons to Steven Gerrard in his prime, which is a big compliment to the Englishman, who is a former Liverpool player himself.
The other new signing, whose performance was overshadowed by Shelvey’s exploits, is Henri Saivet, who came on after 60 minutes. The Senegalese international was a little rusty shortly after his arrival, but he soon got up to the pace of the game and looked assured in the middle of the park. Once Saivet gets more Premier League experience under his belt, he looks like he could become an integral part of this team and potentially develop a strong partnership with fellow new signing Shelvey.
While both debutants were impressive, the Magpies are in the relegation zone and will need more reinforcements in the remainder of this window to ensure they stay up.
Jonjo Shelvey's Newcastle debut by numbers:
91% pass accuracy
4 shots
3 tackles won
1 chance createdShelvey show pic.twitter.com/Py4MxyhpL2
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 16, 2016
If there was one negative from the win last weekend, it was that Aleksandr Mitrovic wasted a hatful of chances and on another day, the team would have been punished. The young Serbian striker will one day be world class, but for now he is not someone a relegation threatened outfit wants to overly depend on. Signing a striker, ideally with top-flight experience is a necessity. Long term prospect Charlie Austin has moved to Southampton for a bargain of £4 million, which is a crushing blow to the Magpies.
Attention has now been turned to West Brom striker Saido Berahino, although the Baggies are very stubborn on their policy of retaining the 22-year-old. A loan deal for Loic Remy has also been rumoured, as the Frenchman spent a season at the Magpies in 2013-14 and would instantly re-settle into life back at St James Park.
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Another position the Geordies are looking to strengthen is their width. Tottenham winger Andros Townsend is rumoured to be interested in a move to Tyneside, and talks between the two clubs over a deal are ongoing. The most recent development in this transfer story is that Spurs rejected a £10.5 million bid and are demanding £14 million. A player like Townsend will be a valuable addition to Newcastle, and with a gap of only £3.5 million, the Geordies must do everything they can to get the winger’s signature .
Steve McClaren has said he wants to bring in two more players before the window closes, and with Fabricio Colocinni experiencing an improvement in form, it seems the Magpies can afford to miss out on a central-defender, hence why a striker and a winger should be the priority over the next 10 days.
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