10 players who could join Newcastle in January

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 10 Jan 2023 17:52 GMT
• 5 min read

Newcastle are the richest club in world football following their Saudi Arabia-led takeover in October 2021, and they are expected go shopping in the winter transfer window…

The Toon are yet to really flex their financial muscle, although Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Tripper are among their stars who have shone brightest since joining from Lyon and Atletico Madrid in January.

Eddie Howe had steered Newcastle up into third in the Premier League before the break for the World Cup, and the team is beginning to purr under his guidance, but that does mean St. James' Park won’t see some new faces in the new year.

READ: Barca's revenge if Newcastle beat them to 'Brazilian Busquets'

Football Transfers looks at 10 players who could join Newcastle this winter…

Andrey Santos

Barcelona were the first to scout Andrey Santos as they cast their net far and wide looking for a Sergio Busquets successor, but Newcastle are now also interested in the defensive midfielder who managed eight goals from 33 games for Vasco da Gama in 2022. Newcastle are on a surer financial footing than Barca and the prospect of an all-Brazilian midfield with Santos alongside Guimaraes and Joelinton is a mouth-watering one.

James Maddison

James Maddison made England's World Cup squad thanks to his form which saw him score seven goals and assist four more in the first half of the season despite current club Leicester flirting with the relegation places. Will have England teammates Tripper, Callum Wilson and Nick Pope in his ear in Qatar.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is a free agent following his blistering interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticised Manchester United's Glazer family ownership, manager Erik ten Hag and more. Has been linked with a big-money move to Al-Nassr, but Newcastle's Saudi owners are interested in signing one of the game's most marketable assets before he makes an eventual move to the Kingdom.

READ: Ronaldo 2: Same Man Utd movie, different location

Evan N'Dicka

A target who is more coach-led than senior management, Evan N'Dicka is a natural left-back who can also play centre-back - an entirely useful profile considering the 6'6" Dan Burn has been playing on the left of a back four this season with Matt Targett injured. Out of contract with Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of the season and could be picked up on the cheap in January.

Yannick Carrasco

A more attacking brand of full-back, Yannick Carrasco has been a convert to the wing-back position at Atletico Madrid having previously been an outright winger. With Allan Saint-Maximin sidelined there is room in the squad for an exciting wide man, and Atletico are reportedly willing to sell - as they did with Carrasco in 2018 when he left for Dalian Professional - due to financial difficulties.

Eden Hazard

Another who could bring the excitement in ASM's absence could be Eden Hazard. It simply hasn't worked out for the former Chelsea superstar at Real Madrid, but if he can rekindle some of the magic of old, a reported transfer fee of less than €20 million could prove an absolute steal for the Toon.

Christian Pulisic

One of Hazard's successors at Chelsea, Christian Pulisic's days at Stamford Bridge appear to be numbered with Graham Potter not trusting the American much more than his predecessor as Blues coach, Thomas Tuchel, did. Still a fine player on his day, was perhaps the USMNT's best performer in Qatar and would be a fine marketing boon off the field as well.

Djibril Sow

N'Dicka's Frankfurt teammate Djibril Sow is also attracting interest. A central midfielder by trade, the Switzerland international could prove a cheaper alternative to Santos with the 25-year-old rated at €22.5m by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm. Competition from Arsenal and Nottingham Forest could drive the price up, however.

Jordi Alba

Greard Pique has retired, Busquets is leaving next summer, and Jordi alba is expected to follow his fellow club captains out of Barcelona in short order. Spain's first-choice left-back at the World Cup, Alba is reportedly available for as little as €10m, and would be the perfect short-term solution in a problem position.

Kang-In Lee

Last, but by no means least, is Real Mallorca's South Korean star Kang-In Lee. Once regarded as one of the most promising young players in the game, it is easy to forget that Lee is still only 21. Left Valencia for Mallorca for off-field reasons in 2021 looks ready for a step back up in competition.