Newcastle United’s managing director Lee Charnley has discussed the upcoming January transfer window and the business that the club could potentially do.
With Steve Bruce talking about the possibility of transfers in the week, Charnley has gone on and echoed those comments by saying that the club will only make a move if the timing is right.
Speaking to the Sheilds Gazette, he said: “In January, we’ve got, hopefully, Matty Ritchie to come back, who we’ve not really seen this season. Jamaal hopefully should be back.
“Obviously, we’ve got Florian Lejeune, who the manager’s not seen. So, at the minute, we’ve got good strength in depth in most positions on the field. What I don’t want to do is over-promise and under-deliver.
“But, is that to say, if the right opportunity came up that we wouldn’t look at it? Then, clearly, if there’s an opportunity there that makes sense for us, that may well be something that we would look at.”
When looking at Newcastle’s squad and statistics, it is pretty clear that goals are currently a problem for the squad. From their strikers and wingers this season, they have managed to score just two goals in the Premier League. Two. One of which – Allan Saint-Maximin – has just picked up an injury which will put him out for the Christmas period, while the other scorer Joelinton bagged back in August.
Do we need to spend in January?
Yes
No
Despite being 11th in the league, there is no doubt that scoring and creating is a problem for Bruce’s side – but that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering his rigid 5-4-1.
Only Crystal Palace, Norwich and Watford have scored less than their 17 goals from their 16 games, which actually isn’t a bad return when you realise only two have come from attacking players.
Whether or not United fancy taking a punt on an attacking player this window is unclear, however, they have been linked to a few players such as Macauley Bonne and Jarrod Bowen. While Bonne might not get fans excited with just 15 Championship games behind his back, Bowen is very much likely to. So far this season he has already grabbed 14 goals and in the last he got 22, with most coming from midfield.
So based on the previous statistics, Bowen is the signing is likely to be the one which fans will be keeping their eyes on and crossing their fingers for.