As we enter transfer deadline day, Newcastle, regardless of what happens today, will be leaving January in a better state than they entered it.
This is true both on the field and off the field: apart from a loss on the opening day of the month to Leicester, they have been unbeaten from their other five games and they have added three potentially crucial loan signings.
As it stands, Nabil Bentaleb, Valentino Lazaro and Danny Rose have all joined the club until the end of the season, and when you consider the lack of action from clubs all around the country, they have a strong argument for being the team that has done the most productive business.
Looking more closely at the signings, all three of them have Champions League experience and will be adding something different to the team.
At 6’2, Bentaleb will be able to bring some physical presence into the midfield. His strength means that he has the ability to shrug off opponents, and not only does he have that, but he brings a wealth of technical ability too, making him – on his day – a very high-quality box-to-box midfielder.
Would you prefer to sign Rose or Willems in the summer?
Rose
Willems
Valentino Lazaro is a player that is very highly rated in Germany and the Toon have done well to feed off Inter’s scraps. After playing at right-back, right midfield and right-wing for the Magpies last season, his versatility will be crucial for Steve Bruce with all the injuries, and his attacking ability from right-wing back could be a much more attacking alternative to what the club already has.
Danny Rose doesn’t need so much of an introduction. The left-back will have made this move so that he can have one final push towards Euro 2020, so that means he will have some fire in the belly. Furthermore, with 183 Premier League matches and 29 England caps behind his back, he is an experienced player who has played at the very top of the game, so there can’t have been many out there who would be a better replacement for Jetro Willems with his injury.
Nevertheless, there is still one big issue in this Newcastle team – goals. And they still haven’t got much closer to solving the problem in that only one goal from 24 league games has come from a striker.
Olivier Giroud and Paco Alcacer have been linked, but neither of those look at all likely at this stage now.
Newcastle still might top the tree in terms of having the best window, but they could still find themselves going into the second half of the season without fixing the issue which needs fixing most.