Newcastle United have discussed raiding Arsenal during the January transfer window to improve Eddie Howe’s midfield core with Mohamed Elneny, according to the Daily Mail.
The Toon are drafting plans for the window well aware that the threat of relegation makes targets cautious to join. Despite claiming a first win of the Premier League season last time out against Burnley, the Magpies remain below the Clarets in 19th-place after 15 games.
Newcastle have also played one more than Burnley, who sit above United with a superior goal difference three-points from safety. But the Turf Moor natives’ game in hand is against fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, after Spurs’ visit was postponed after heavy snowfall.
Potential targets and their intermediaries are thus cautious of joining Newcastle in the mid-season transfer window. But Howe remains keen on improving the ranks at St James’ Park.
Howe wants the Toon to strengthen his centre-half options in the winter sales, but would also like a new midfielder. Newcastle have discussed raiding Arsenal to seal a transfer for Elneny with the Egypt international’s £52.5k-a-week contract expiring next summer.
Elneny is likely to leave north London at least when his deal ends, having spent the season on the fringes. Mikel Arteta has only played the 29-year-old seven times in all competitions, for a total of 311-minutes so far.
He has also only started one Premier League game when Arteta rotated his engine room at Manchester United. Yet despite assisting at Old Trafford, returned to the bench at Everton.
Arteta to deny Howe Newcastle transfer for Arsenal midfielder Elneny?
Newcastle could face competition for a January transfer if Arsenal warm to letting Elneny leave the Emirates Stadium next month. His father told On Time Sports 2 that he has ‘good offers from Italy and England’, while Turkish rivals Besiktas and Galatasaray are also keen.
Elneny joined Arsenal from Basel for £7.5m in 2016 but has never been a first-choice name in north London. However, Arteta remains hopeful the 82-cap star will see out his contract.
Reports by The Athletic last month noted the Spaniard would rather he stays until the end of the season for depth. Arteta has been full of praise for the fringe technician previously.
“What Mo transmits through the team is special,” Arteta said, via the Metro in November 2019. “He has this energy as a person, he goes in a room and he creates an atmosphere.
“Today I thought we needed that energy and that positive feeling he brings all the time and I think he was tremendous on the pitch.”
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