'Not for me' - Jamie Carragher makes claim over Newcastle United stars Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Newcastle United will be forced to consider selling one of their key players to aid their battle with Financial Fair Play regulations.

The Magpies are aiming to add to their squad during the January transfer window as Eddie Howe looks to move on from what has been arguably the most challenging period of his two-year reign at St James Park.

During an ongoing battle with a lengthy injury list, United have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup with a penalty shoot-out defeat at Chelsea and succumbed to a late defeat against AC Milan that brought an end to their Champions League adventure.

Monday’s 4-2 loss at Liverpool also saw Howe’s side fall to a fifth defeat in their last six Premier League games and they are now sat 11 points adrift of the top four as an immediate return to European football’s top table now looks increasingly out of reach.

All focus is now on Saturday’s Wear-Tyne derby clash with Sunderland in the FA Cup third round - but the Magpies are also working hard to bring in players over the next four weeks in a bid to boost Howe’s deflated ranks.

There have been warnings United’s summer transfer business and last January’s acquisition of Anthony Gordon have taken the club close to their FFP limits - and former England defender Carragher believes the sale of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes may be considered to allow the Magpies to ‘go again’ in the transfer market.

He told Sky Sports: “What Newcastle are having to do right now and Eddie Howe is basically take players that the big teams do not want right now.  So, you are thinking Sven Botman at the back, Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon, Isak, they are the names off the top of my head, around £40 million. The top teams would have looked at them and probably thought, ‘Not for me’.

“They have done brilliant at Newcastle, and that is credit to that man there, Eddie Howe, because right now they are still buying under what you would class as elite. And that is going to continue for a long time.

“And there’s actually talk to actually comply with FFP and go again, they might actually have to sell one of their best players, maybe if someone offers £100 million for maybe Bruno Guimaraes, if you like, and it would give them the opportunity to go again.”