Newcastle United have been linked with a huge number of players since the Saudi-led takeover of the club and are expected to bring major reinforcements to Tyneside in January.

With just a few days left until the transfer window opens, Eddie Howe will have a list of names he aims to bring to the club and has a reported £190million at his disposal.

The lack of quality in defensive areas is highlighted by the clubs position in the Premier League. Newcastle sit 19th, with the second-worse defensive record this campaign having shipped 42 goals in 19 games.

DEFENDERS

Trippier (£30m+) and Tarkowski (£3m+)

English defensive duo Keiran Trippier and James Tarkowski have been widely tipped with a move to St James’ Park and would be welcomed with open arms by the Geordie faithful.

The Atletico Madrid full-back is expected to be available for around $30million, while Burnley’s Tarkowski is heading into the last six months of his current contract and would cost the club in region of £3million.

Sven Botman (£25m+)

Dutch defender Sven Botman is thought to be top of Howe’s list and his ball-playing abilities would certainly suit the new managers attacking approach. He currently plays for French side Lille and has represented his country at both u21 and senior level. Botman is expected to cost the Magpies over £25million but would be a huge improvement on the current options at Howe’s disposal.

Boubacar Kamara (20m+)

Newcastle are expected to make a dramatic bid to sign Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara from under the noses of Premier League rivals, according to the Sun on Sunday. He would massively improve the side in the defensive midfield department and is deemed as one for the future, available at over £20million.

He would certainly bring a good song to sing for supporters – “Bouba Kamara, what a wonderful name…”

Other rumours in the media:

• Newcastle are reportedly keen on signing Arsenal flop Konstantinos Mavropanos in a bid to bolster their defensive options in January (The Sun, December 15).
• Newcastle are among the clubs looking to sign Tottenham centre-back Joe Rodon on loan during the January transfer window (Daily Telegraph, December 22)
• Oleksandr Zinchenko is on Newcastle’s list of January targets as Eddie Howe attempts to keep them in the Premier League (Daily Mail, December 26).
• Everton’s Lucas Digne is another who has been discussed but the Frenchman is holding out for other clubs showing interest.

MIDFIELDERS

Jesse Lingard (£20m+)

The Manchester United man is yet to feature from the start under Ralf Rangnick and is approaching the final six months on his contact.

Newcastle will have a fight on their hands to capture the 29-year-olds signature and given the success he had in his loan-spell at West Ham, they are the current favourites to sign him. Lingard is reportedly available for a fee of around £20million, unless he decides to stay at United a sign a new contract.

He certainly has the quality needed to help the Magpies survive relegation and could join the club on a 6-month loan as one of two available Premier League loans in January.

Dele Alli (£22m+)

The 25-year-old England international has been out of favour for a number of months at Tottenham Hotspur and is yet to reach the same heights of previous years under new boss Antonio Conte.

Newcastle are one of a number of clubs linked with the attacking midfielder who has shown in the past his Premier League ability. There is still time for him to rekindle his carer on tyneside and he could play a key role in Howe’s side.

He is expected to cost the Magpies approximately £22million and might improve the productivity of the side in attacking areas.

Gini Wijnaldum (loan)

The 31-year-old knows the city well, already has a good relationship with the fans and enjoyed a decent spell for the Magpies between 2015-16.

Newcastle need stability and lack quality in defensive areas. WIjnaldum would also improve the team in attacking areas and may be just what is needed to help the club change its fortunes on the pitch.

If he moves, Wijnaldum is expected to join a Premier League side for the remainder of the season and Newcastle United may be the right fit for the veteran midfielder.

Aaron Ramsey (£10m+)

After lengthy spells on the sidelines he is yet to form a friendly relationship with Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri he is thought to want a move away from Turin and back to the Premier League.

His £400,000k a-week salary could be make or break for some clubs and puts Newcastle at the top of the list to sign him following the Saudi-led takeover of the club.

His experience of the English game and versatility in the midfield could help change the fortunes of Newcastle this season. Ramsey is expected to be available for around £10m but his high-wage might put a lot of clubs off chasing his signature.

Other rumours in the media:

• Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has emerged as a possible January target for Newcastle (The Sun, December 10).
• Brest midfielder Romain Faivre believes he would cost Newcastle around £15m should they turn their interest in him into an actual offer (Daily Express, December 4).
• Donny Van de Beek, Dean Henderson and Jesse Lingard are on Eddie Howe’s radar in January as Newcastle look to strengthen for the second half of the season (Daily Mirror, November 12).
• Newcastle and Burnley are set to compete with Leeds for the signature of Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley (The Sun, November 23).
• James Ward-Prowse – Southampton’s dead-ball maestro who has always felt destined for a big move one day – could a role as the linchpin of the Toon Army’s first iteration of newly-moneyed galacticos tempt him into leaving his boyhood club?

ATTACKERS

Odion Ighalo (£10m+)

Odion Ighalo is one of a number of strikers Newcastle United are looking at ahead of the January transfer window. Ighalo, who has had previous spells in the Premier League with Watford and Manchester United, is currently playing for Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia and has the experience to help Newcastle at the top end of the pitch.

Sky Sports News has been told he would seriously consider a move if contact is made. Ighalo scored 40 goals in 100 appearances for Watford between 2014 and 2017 and netted five times in 23 games for United during his year-long spell at the club.

He is expected to be available for a fee in the region of £10million.

Gabriel Barbosa (loan/ £17m if Toon survive)

Newcastle are interested in a loan for Brazil international forward Gabriel Barbosa after Benfica refused to sell Darwin Nunez in January.Toon boss Eddie Howe is desperate for more firepower to boost the Magpies’ Premier League survival hopes.

According to the Mirror Football, Flamengo are “open to a six-month loan in January if it includes a £17million deal to make it permanent” should Newcastle retain their Premier League status.

Moussa Dembele (£30m+)

The 25-year-old had a spell on loan at Atletico Madrid last season after they agreed a £1.2million loan fee with option for a £30m transfer.

The French striker had a successful spell at Celtic a few years ago and has a decent goalscoring record, netting 36 times in 82 appearances for French side Lyon.

He started the French season well with four goals in five games suffered a thigh injury then a fractured right fibula. He has returned to Lyon’s side recently but the French club are open to selling if they receive a suitable offer.

Other rumours in the media:

• Newcastle are willing to pay a hefty loan fee of around £6m to tempt Manchester United striker Anthony Martial to St James’ Park, and are also eyeing ex-Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko (Sun on Sunday, December 18).
• Newcastle have reportedly tabled a nine-figure bid for Arsenal target and Serie A top scorer Dusan Vlahovic (Daily Star on Sunday, December 18); Newcastle are hoping to flex their transfer muscles against the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United and beat them to the signing of the Fiorentina striker in a deal that could top £100m (Daily Express, December 17);
• Almeria will not budge from their £60m price tag for striker Umar Sadiq, one of dozens of players to be linked with a January move to Newcastle (Daily Express, November 24).
• Newcastle’s hopes of signing Divock Origi on loan from Liverpool are set to be dashed by Jurgen Klopp (Daily Mail, November 24).

Thoughts? What areas do Newcastle need to improve? Who would be your first signing? Can Howe’s reinforcements help keep NUFC in the Premier League?

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