Rafa Benitez will be hoping to add to his squad of players once the transfer window reopens in January as Newcastle have made a disappointing start to their Premier League campaign with just two points coming from their opening eight games. Here are three players who have been linked with the Magpies and could be targets for the club in the New Year.
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey’s contract at Arsenal is set to expire at the end of the season and talks between the Gunners and the Welsh international appear to have broken down, therefore, it appears like the midfielder will be looking for a new club. Benitez may see Ramsey as a perfect fit into his midfield and with him having less than six months on his contract, it may not cost much to take him away from the Emirates Stadium in January.
Arsenal Talks via Twitter
Arsenal have made a strong start to their campaign and now have Premier League title odds of 40/1. They don’t look to be doing everything they can to keep hold of Ramsey therefore if a bid matches their valuation in January, they are likely to accept. Ramsey has a wealth of experience in the Premier League and in international football and would be an excellent acquisition if Newcastle could pull off the deal.
Garry Rodrigues
Galatasaray winger Garry Rodrigues was a target of Rafa Benitez’s back in the summer, however, they were unable to capture the 27-year-old. A second attempt at securing the player could come in January as the Cape Verde player continues to impress in Turkey. Rodriguez made the move to Galatasaray in January 2017 from PAOK and he made an immediate impact, helping his side to win the Super Lig.
Newcastle are not blessed with too many wide players this season, therefore, Benitez may have Rodrigues at the top of his list of targets in order to add to the creativity in the team. The Galatasaray man has played in the Champions League this season where he found the back of the net in his side’s 3-0 victory against Lokomotiv Moscow. It may require at least £15 to tempt the Turkish champions into selling but that may be a solid investment for a player who could have a lot of success in England with his style of play.
Daniel Sturridge
UEFA Champions League via Twitter
It’s not the first time that Newcastle have been linked with Daniel Sturridge. The Liverpool striker has been very unlucky with injuries over the last couple of years and, as a result, he looks to have fallen down the pecking order at the Merseyside club now with Mo Salah, Roberto Finrmino and Sadio Mane all excelling in a front three. Now that he is fit, Sturridge may be looking for a loan move or permanent transfer in January to resurrect his England career as he was left out of the squad which drew 0-0 with Croatia recently in the UEFA Nationals League. Newcastle have only scored six goals so far in their Premier League, therefore, they desperately need a striker who can try and find the back of the net on a regular basis to help their survival chances.
Newcastle are back in action following the international break on October 20 when they take on Brighton at St James’ Park.