Newcastle United's official stance on the January transfer window
Eddie Howe has outlined Newcastle United’s stance on the January transfer window.
Eddie Howe admits Newcastle United’s injury situation could impact what the club does in the January transfer window.
The Magpies head into their Premier League Boxing Day clash away to Manchester United with just three senior defenders available.
Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth have been sidelined since the November international break and since then have been joined in the treatment room by Jamaal Lascelles, Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Tino Livramento.
Newcastle hope to have Trippier and Krafth back in and around the New Year, while Sven Botman could also return around that period after Howe revealed on Tuesday that the Dutchman wasn’t too far away.
Burn isn’t due back until mid-January after sustaining a rib and lung injury in the Tyne-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland. Livramento’s knee injury is still being assessed but the early hope is that the 23-year-old can return next month.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe on the January transfer window
The Magpies are monitoring their injury situation closely in case they are forced into the market, but generally, Howe says the club are “keeping an open mind”.
"I think it's going to be a consistently moving thing for us,” Howe said. “I've had brief discussions, and I wouldn't say detailed at this moment, because we don't really know how we're going to look injury-wise as we turn the year.
“We've got a group of players that we anticipate will be very close to coming back around that time, so that will obviously impact, if they do come back, our business, and if they don't come back, again, that could potentially impact what we do.
"So, keeping very much an open mind at this stage."
Will any players leave Newcastle United?
Although reluctant to the idea, Howe admitted some players could leave.
Will Osula continues to attract interest from Eintracht Frankfurt after a move to the Bundesliga club broke down on deadline day. Sources in Germany claim Osula has already agreed personal terms as the two clubs remain in negotiations.
Meanwhile, Fabian Schar, Trippier, Krafth and Lascelles are out of contract in the summer, which potentially gives Newcastle the last chance to cash in. The injury situation could have a say on outgoings too.
Howe added: “It's not high on my agenda, with the squad that we currently have, to be losing players. But I think we'll see as players return from injury, which is never a certain thing until they are actually back and performing.
“If there is anyone in the squad that we feel would, between us and them, benefit from going, then we'll certainly look at it on an individual basis.”