Heading into the January transfer window, it was widely reported that Newcastle United were planning to sign a defensive midfielder, with a loan move lined up for Man City’s Kalvin Phillips.
However, it sounds like a recent injury and our ongoing battle with FFP has altered our January plans over the second half of the window.
As revealed by The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, a season-ending injury to Joelinton, who is due to undergo surgery in Barcelona today, has seen Eddie Howe alter his plans, prioritising a move for a powerful, box-to-box No 8 over a deep-lying No 6.
With this in mind, it could explain why Newcastle have seemingly walked away from talks to sign Kalvin Phillips; who agreed to join West Ham on Tuesday afternoon.
Yes, the club were reluctant to meet Man City’s demands, with a £7m loan fee a clear sticking point, but Newcastle stepping back from the Phillips deal has coincided with strong links with a host of No 8s, with Everton’s Amadou Onana and Atalanta’s Ederson suddenly coming to the forefront.
In a recent Q&A for The Athletic, Waugh had this to say, adding that an attacker or goalkeeper could yet arrive if outgoings create room in the squad and additional freedom from an FFP perspective:
“The priority position is midfield. It has been all window and Joelinton’s injury has only heightened that need.
“I wrote about this at length, but what Joelinton’s absence has done is shift the focus from a No 6 to a No 8. What Eddie Howe desires is a powerful box-to-box midfielder who can win duels and offer physicality in the middle, just as Joelinton does.
“Ideally, Howe also wants another attacker and a goalkeeper, but there is an increasing recognition that, given their PSR constraints, Newcastle cannot conclude all the business they would like to, with a midfielder the present focus. That could change, of course, should an offer Newcastle simply cannot refuse arrive for a player in another position, which means they require replacing, or a long-term target suddenly becomes available for a reasonable price.”
