£30m Newcastle United transfer blow revealed - and update on new stance

Newcastle United’s squad depth shined in the Carabao Cup as they emerged victorious in a clash against eight-time winners Manchester City, despite making 10 changes to the starting lineup.

Some of the most notable displays on the night came from debutant Tino Livramento and impact substitutes Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon. While Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett and Matt Targett all shone on rare starts for the club. Perhaps the only negative from Newcastle’s victory was the limited impact of youngsters Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley who were both substituted off the pitch at half time on their first competitive starts.

The two players are both teenagers and will undoubtedly get further chances to shine in a long and testing season, but recent reports suggest that midfield could be an area where Eddie Howe adds further talent during the January window. One of the names on Newcastle’s radar was Southampton prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, who has experience of reaching the latter stages of the Carabao Cup. Alcaraz played in both games against Newcastle in last season’s semi-final and was the standout player in a Saints team which was beaten 3-1 on aggregate across two legs.

The 20-year-old is viewed as a rising star in the world of football and he enjoyed a steady first year at Southampton by scoring four Premier League goals and providing two assists in 18 appearances. He has also enjoyed success in Argentina and was the match winner in the 2022 Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional as Racing Club defeated Boca Juniors 2-1 in extra time with Alcaraz grabbing the winner from the subs bench.

Alacaraz’s first season in England prompted interest from the likes of Newcastle, AC Milan and Benfica, who all held talks with the Argentinian, according to reports from Football Transfers. But a move failed to materialise due to the £30m asking price which was placed on the player.

Alcaraz has made seven appearances in all competitions this season with the majority of those coming from the subs bench and he has not yet emerged as a starter for new boss Russell Martin. The Saints are currently struggling in 15th position and they may look to cash-in on Alcaraz if they continue to slip behind in the promotion race. The Argentine’s only goal for the Saints came in a 3-1 loss to Gillingham in the League Cup.