Three January deals Newcastle could target – Manchester duo and Boro star
The January window is open and Newcastle United are expected to be active if the right deals come up.
The signing of a technical midfielder appears to be high on Eddie Howe's radar, while greater depth at full-back is also desired. In attack, some fresh blood would also be welcomed as our right-sided wingers continue to underperform.
After detailing two overseas full-backs we could target in a piece last week, I've picked out three domestic deals Newcastle could pursue over the coming weeks.
Kobbie Mainoo – Manchester United
January is a difficult month to get the right players in. However, it can provide some good market opportunities, if players are out of favour.
Kobbie Mainoo is one example, as he has yet to start a Premier League match for Manchester United. There have been links in the past and he would increase the technical level of our midfield options.
Mainoo is still only 20-years-old, despite being around senior football for a few years. He has 10 caps for England and could still play a huge role for the international team. Ruben Amorim may be gone, but there is no guarantee he is brought back into the fold. The player himself doesn’t want to leave Old Trafford, but at some point, he will be forced to for his own development.
Mainoo would add real technical quality to our midfield, as he is good on the ball and has qualities that would suit Eddie Howe. He is excellent at playing in tight spaces and can burst past an opposition player.
His ceiling is very high and is the type of player who could flourish away from Old Trafford. If Mainoo could be signed this month, the club should do everything to do it.
Hayden Hackney – Middlesbrough
One of the biggest mistakes made in the transfer market since the takeover has been a failure to recruit the best players from the Championship. Ebere Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton are three recent examples of excellent Premier League players to be signed from the division. All could have been attainable for us.
Location could often be an issue when recruiting these players, but there would be no excuse with Hayden Hackney. He has been one of the best players in the division in recent years and looks ready to step up to the top flight.
Interestingly, the fbref comparison tool names Kees Smit second of the list of similar players. The Dutchman has been linked with the club and Hackney could be a more attainable alternative. In many ways, he is the perfect profile for an Eddie Howe midfield. He can do well in all areas of midfield play and he could develop even more.
He averages 2.14 shots and 4.4 shot creating actions per game. This places him in the 96th percentile for both. Hackney has three goals and five assists to his name this season.
Further to his goal threat, he is very good at progressing the ball. Hackney averages 8.93 progressive passes and 3.18 progressive carries per ninety minutes. These are both in the 99th percentile among midfielders.
It is worth saying that Hackney’s numbers are so impressive as he is a top level player operating in the second tier. These will drop in a better league, but it is obvious that he is ready for the step up.
Hackney has the potential to make the step up in the same way that Adam Wharton did. It would be a gamble worth taking.
Oscar Bobb – Manchester City
Another market opportunity that could come our way this month is Oscar Bobb. The Manchester City player has been linked in the past and he plays on the right side of attack.
He could be the long-term solution to our problems there. The pending arrival of Antoine Semenyo means that City could make their young talent available.
Bobb would add dynamism to our forward line, which we currently lack. He always looks to beat his opposing defender and create space for others in the team. The 22-year-old averages 3.71 progressive carries and 3.39 successful take-ons per ninety minutes. These both rate in the 99th percentile and underline his dribbling ability.
There is a rawness in his final ball, as shown by his paltry return of a single assist across the Premier League and Champions League. However, the potential is obvious and he is the type of signing we need to make to progress. His ceiling is high and he would be available for a reasonable price.
