Eddie Howe answers Newcastle United transfer question after fresh £25m blow

Eddie Howe admits fresh injuries to Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Targett could impact Newcastle United’s January transfer plans.

The Magpies have lost both players to injury within the last week and their return dates are not yet definitive.

Howe has been told by club medics that Shelvey could be out between six to eight weeks, while the latest information on Targett is simply “a period of time”.

The pair have spent most of the Premier League campaign out of the starting XI but their absences weaken the squad as a whole ahead of a busy fixture list.

United are faced with the dilemma of risk waiting for their return or look to strengthen immediately with neither Shelvey or Targett likely to return until next month at the earliest.

Asked if he’d be happy if Newcastle signed no new players in January, Howe said: “If we didn’t sign anybody, then we didn’t sign anybody.

“I love the group, I think we’ve got a really strong team. The thing we have to guard against, of course, at this time of year, is injuries and every player we lose is a hammer blow and it does open up potential weaknesses in the squad. We’re very aware of that.

“I think when you look at Jonjo and Matt Targett’s injury, we don’t quite know how long they’ll be out but I don’t think either of them are long-term so we will get them back. We obviously have to think about that as well so there’s a lot to take in.”

Shelvey, signed for £12million from Swansea City in 2016 and Targett, a £13m permanent arrival from Aston Villa in the summer, are a part of a tight-knit dressing room on Tyneside.

Being a good person as well as a good player was key to Newcastle’s recruitment in 2022, where they spent £210m on Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak and Targett.

“Definitely the character of the player and person is hugely important,” Howe added. “Any business, organisation or group of people, the character of people you’re bringing into that team is hugely important. We’ve had a really good togetherness and feel, we don’t want to endanger that.”