Newcastle United lost 2-1 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in Sunday’s Premier League clash. Fortunately, the January transfer window is coming up.
After a run of three successive wins, the clouds are hanging over Newcastle United once again. Rafa Benitez’s side have suddenly seen their momentum checked with three games without a victory, culminating in a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James’ Park on Sunday.
Matt Doherty consigned the 10-men Magpies to defeat with a 94th minute winner which left Benitez incensed, particularly after right-back DeAndre Yedlin was sent off midway through the second half in particularly debatable fashion.
Newcastle legend Chris Waddle was watching the game and believes the attacking limitations in Benitez’s squad are clear to see.
“What they are lacking up front is not down to Benitez’s coaching or his tactics – they are short because his hands have been tied in the transfer market,” Waddle told the BBC.
“To put that right, I think he needs two attacking players in January – a goalscorer and a creative player too, someone who can beat someone and see something in the final third.
“If Newcastle can add those two players to what they have already got, I think they will finish well up the league.
“It would not matter if they are loan deals until the end of the season like (West Brom-owned Salomon) Rondon, but they have to be a priority for whoever is running the club.”
It seems that Newcastle share Waddle’s view about the club needing a creative central midfielder. The Sun reports that The Magpies are increasingly confident of striking a potential £15 million deal for Atlanta United playmaker Miguel Almiron, who scored 13 goals and set up 11 more in the 2018 MLS season.
Newcastle have been linked with a number of exciting centre-forwards too, including prolific Genoa striker Krzysztof Piatek (Northern Echo) but it remains to be seen how much money Benitez will have to spend.
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