Chris Waugh has revealed that Newcastle United are open to strengthening their first-team squad in the January transfer window.
While Newcastle did a solid amount of business over the summer, they did only bring in one attacking reinforcement, which has likely contributed towards the fact they’ve drawn six games this season.
In fact, PIF have only sanctioned two attacking signings since they took over the club in the form of Chris Wood and Alexander Isak, but that may not be the case for much longer after Waugh has found out from talking to people at the club.
Waugh has insisted on Pod on the Tyne that PIF are willing to be flexible in their approach to the January transfer window.
(37:10) “If Newcastle are going to do business in January it’s not going to be dictated by a lack of ambition it will be dictated by how the market works, who is available and is the right player available for a price Newcastle are willing to pay.
Will Newcastle secure European football?
Yes!
No!
“Everyone I’m speaking to at the moment, the suggestion going into January is that Newcastle, as they have done the last couple of windows, are looking to be flexible and so they are not going in thinking we have to do X, Y and Z but they would like to do certain things and if they can, they will look to strengthen the squad here and there.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s potential January transfer business…
It will be encouraging for Newcastle fans to know that their owners aren’t necessarily desperate and scrambling around to do business for the sake of it and potentially put them at risk in the long term with Financial Fair Play regulations.
However, it’s also reassuring that they are also willing to act if necessary in January and if the right player becomes available, much like they did late on earlier in the year by signing Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon.
If Newcastle find themselves in and around the European places come the January transfer window, then it would make sense for PIF to offer Howe the chance to bolster his squad and hand him the tools required to secure European football for the first time since 2013.