According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce will have to limit his additions in the January market to loan signings.
As a result of the pandemic and Mike Ashley’s legal action against the Premier League, it is thought that the current regime do not want to upset the balance sheet too much should a takeover eventually go through. With that in mind, it looks like borrowing players will be the theme of Newcastle’s plans in the New Year sales, much as it was last year.
Hopefully, the fact the delayed Euro 2020 tournament is around the corner affords the Magpies the chance to bring in some better players than last season.
None of Danny Rose, Valentino Lazaro or Nabil Bentaleb proved worthy of signing on a long-term basis but, with players potentially looking to secure first-team football ahead of the tournament, perhaps a higher caliber of signing could realistically be made.
Fikayo Tomori is mentioned in the report amid his lack of involvement at Chelsea while there were also suggestions recently Tottenham’s Harry Winks could be available after falling down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho.
While that is by no means confirmation that either of those two players are targets, that level of addition could prove promising by the time January rolls around.
Both are young England internationals and could help strengthen mid-season, with Tomori potentially providing a further element of pace in the backline and Winks’ ability on the ball both in line with what The Athletic claimed Bruce wanted.
The loan market isn’t always the most ambitious but, this year more than most, could be a viable one to bolster the squad from.