The January window is in full swing but it has been a quiet start to business for Newcastle United - here's why
Newcastle United will have Tottenham Hotspur for competition if they go back to Wolves to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen this month.
As I reported on Sunday morning, Newcastle sent head of recruitment Steve Nickson to see Wolves beat West Ham 3-0 at the weekend, with Strand Larsen one of the players United are keeping check on this month. Another was youngster Mateus Mane.
The word coming out of Newcastle after the first week of the January window is that there is money available to spend if Eddie Howe sees fit to bolster his squad. Towards the end of December brief discussions took place on the possibility of signing some defensive cover.
But the return of both Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento, and Sven Botman has calmed the nerves defensively, not to mention Lewis Miley being a revelation at right-back. Howe has described the winter trading period as 'opportunistic' behind the scenes and he has form for return to ex-targets.
Newcastle admired Larsen enough last summer to place a £55m bid for the Norwegian international and he was keen on the move to the North East. Keeping Strand Larsen, Yoane Wissa, and Nick Woltemade happy would be a tough job, but the DR Congo international's absence in the first half of the season underlined how thin on the ground Newcastle actually are on senior forwards.
And that won't be lost on Howe, who has told me before that he wants at least two stars challenging for every position. Howe suggested in his Press conference today that a constant assessment will take place of the squad in January and business could come later.
He said: "Our injury situation will dictate what happens in the market. I know the work is going on behind the scenes to prepare us for that. If we need to move, we can move, but if not, we can keep our powder dry for the summer because with the PSR world, everything we do now will impact us down the line. I think we're in this holding brief at the moment, where we're waiting to see what direction we take."
Another returning face at the training ground this week has been midfielder Joe White. The 23-year-old featured briefly in pre-season before heading out on loan to Leyton Orient.
However, not for the first time in recent years, Newcastle suffered a bad call sending him to Orient, where he has been afforded just six appearances. Ruthless Toon chiefs cancelled White's brief spell at Brisbane Road and he is back at the training ground. White, however, is expected to be sent out on another loan spell for the second half of the season.
Meanwhile, another factor that will impact United's business this window will be whether Fabian Schar pens an extension to his current deal. He was due to leave at the end of the season at the end of his contract, but even at 34, Howe sees him as a key man on Tyneside. Howe told me at the media centre earlier today that it is "a possibility" he signs a new contract.
The Newcastle boss added: "I think he's been outstanding. What a signing for the football club and great to see him still going and playing so well."
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