Eddie Howe will give his press conference ahead of Watford on Friday. It will be interesting to hear the team news with so many players missing over the past few weeks due to injuries and Covid.
Howe, of course, has two new arrivals with Kieran Trippier confirmed last Friday and Chris Wood in the door this morning. Trippier made his debut against Cambridge in the FA Cup last weekend.
Wood trained with the lads today so any ill-effects from the groin injury he suffered in Burnley’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat against Huddersfield appears to be minimal. The striker was replaced at half-time.
Newcastle’s push to land a center-back this week appears to have come up short. There’s no movement on our pursuit of Diego Carlos or Benoit Badiashile. Sevilla are reluctant to sell their defender while Monaco want upwards of £50m for Badiashile.
There has also been no reported progress in talks for Hugo Ekitike. Newcastle were reportedly close to a deal to bring the 19-year-old prodigy to Tyneside. The striker missed Reims’ 0-0 stalemate at Clermont Foot on Sunday due to a red card suspension.
A couple of midfielders have hit the headlines today. The Manchester Evening News is reporting that Donny van de Beek’s representatives have sounded out both Newcastle and Dortmund over their interest in the Dutchman. On Wednesday, Luke Edwards reported that both Van de Beek and former-Magpie Giorginio Wijnaldum have come up in discussions on Tyneside.
At the moment, Manchester United are unwilling to sanction an exit for van de Beek while Wijnaldum has been linked with Arsenal. Both would be excellent loan signings but will probably not move until late in the window, if at all.
On Wednesday, The Mail reported that Newcastle were interested in RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara. However, the 23-year-old’s £33m release clause is not active until the summer.
There is another report today that Newcastle may try to land the box to box midfielder in this window. If Newcastle can convince Leipzig to sell the Mali international for a reasonable fee in January, this could be one to watch in the coming weeks.
For many, the focus is narrowing in on the six-pointer against Watford. Newcastle are desperate for three points and could climb out of the bottom three with a victory.
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221 comments so far
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:35 AM
Comment #201Adamn_92 – Or could be Trippier at left back. He did that a few times for England I believe? Not sure how many other times he’s done it.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Comment #202TheTinman
Yes, my WC is in play.
beermonkey
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Comment #203is it time to bring back team bingo
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:38 AM
Comment #204Munster – It’s funny…your perspective of “persistence” is the optimistic way of looking at it, whereas other fans will say it’s “dragging on” and “just get it done”! I’m definitely more on your lines of thinking, though I don’t think the Botman deal is dead. There will probably be pressure from Botman and his agent to get the deal done so if no better offer comes towards the end of the window, they may well be back…
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:39 AM
Comment #205TDS
Not much source wise for Darlow other than a few rumours on Twitter etc. Pair that with the fact he’s not even been on the bench for Cambridge or Manure, plus I didn’t see him in any training photos from yesterday. But there were about a handful of training photos of Gillespie.
So more of an educated guess I suppose.
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:41 AM
Comment #206Adam
If he was on the training pics and had a bin on he’s a nailed on starter. 😉
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:41 AM
Comment #207Bib*
outside the box
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:42 AM
Comment #208still cannot understand the rules about squad numbers ….is gillespie one of our 25 players so who has dropped out to accommodate …wood and trippier.?
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:42 AM
Comment #209The bins are, of course, for after intensive training sessions.
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:44 AM
Comment #210OTB
There was a discussion on here the other day which suggested that the club can make rolling changes to the squad while the window is open in January
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:46 AM
Comment #211Adamn_92 – I do worry if we’ve got Gillespie in goal. Never a good thing when you have your 4th choice goalkeeper between the sticks…
Hopefully just some people doing 2+2=456,756…
Comment from Howe seems to think Dubravka will still play.
Tim the toon
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:47 AM
Comment #212Manquillo cannot play vs Watford – he’s suspended for 5 yellows.
niafron
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:47 AM
Comment #213Bonjour messieurs!
What a massive game tomorow… so much at stake.
How do you feel lads? Confidents?
JP...from The Rock
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:47 AM
Comment #214Some possible good news;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/01/14/club-now-lodge-enquiry-for-heir-to-33m-newcastle-target-talks-ongoing/
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:50 AM
Comment #215Bonjour Niafron,
I feel a lot more confident now than I did on Sunday. Like you say this is a massive game. I am quite superstitious when it comes to predicting a win though, don’t like to jinx it.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:50 AM
Comment #216Regarding the 25 man squad list, yeah I believe it’s basically a free hit in January but we obviously currently have 27 players that would need to be registered so you’d assume at least 2 would leave before the window if possible.
Vask
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:51 AM
Comment #217TDs,
If the window ended tomorrow which players would you drop from the squad?
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:51 AM
Comment #218Tim the toon – Good point on Manquillo. I’d forgotten.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/newcastle-united/sperrenundverletzungen/verein/762
outside the box
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:52 AM
Comment #219vask @ 210….thanks that explains a lot…must be like musical chairs on last day…
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 10:54 AM
Comment #220Vask – Hayden and Fernandez might be dropped if their injuries are season ending. But hopefully they are not. Otherwise, I’d drop one of Gillespie/Woodman (we have 4 keepers registered) and probably Clark (if Dummett is ok) or Hendrick (if Dummett isn’t).
JP...from The Rock
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM
Comment #221Burnley vs Leicester postponed. Burnley have got lucky there as it gives them time to find a replacement for Wood.