Howe asks for three January signings with top priority made clear during talks - The Athletic

In his latest piece on the Toon transfer front, The Athletic's Chris Waugh has revealed Eddie Howe's wish to sign a new No 6 this month.

It's thought the club are also in the market for a young right-back - Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda is being tracked - and could use a loan slot to bring in another attacker.

However, The Athletic insist that a holding midfielder able to increase competition in our engine room and allow Bruno Guimaraes to play further forward is at the top of our priority list.

Waugh reveals that Howe has urged the board to recruit from a position of strength and boost an area of the pitch that's been weakened following another injury blow for Jonjo Shelvey; who could be missing until March.

The report states that Nice’s Khephren Thuram, Borussia Monchengladbach’s Manu Kone and Ajax's Edson Alvarez have all been watched closely, but Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans and Brighton's Moises Caicedo could be favoured given Howe's preference to sign Premier League proven operators capable of making an 'immediate impact.'

During talks in Riyadh last month, it's believed the club showed a willingness to be 'flexible' in January, agreeing to make moves for long-term targets if an 'attractive deal' presented itself - on the proviso any major spend would come off our summer budget.

With FFP restrictions in mind, a move for the £70m-rated Caicedo seems ambitious, though Tielemans may leave Leicester at a cut-price fee now he's entered the final six months of his deal at the King Power Stadium. He feels like a clear one to watch given all of the above.

Any move for James Maddison appears unlikely for now - despite Howe's wish for more 'game-changing options' - but it seems the arrival of a No 6 is likely if the right one comes along, with the boss keen on rotation options for a three-man midfield who've been run into the ground of late.