Newcastle United have had a storming Premier League season so far under Eddie Howe.
Heading into their weekend clash, the Magpies currently find themselves in third place with 35 points having only lost one of their 18 league games, leaving them four points behind holders Manchester City in second place.
One figure in Eddie Howe’s squad that has played a big part in Newcastle’s campaign this season is Bruno Guimaraes.
With 15 league appearances to his name, the midfielder has found the net three times and delivered three assists.
In addition to that, the Brazilian has made more progressive passes (63) than any other midfielder or attacker at the club.
Having brought new players in during their two previous transfer windows, this month will give the Tyneside club and Howe the chance to further strengthen the squad at St. James’ Park.
One name that has been linked with Newcastle that we feel would be a solid addition to Howe’s squad and give him the chance to form a dynamic duo in the middle of the park alongside Guimaraes is Youri Tielemans.
With three goals and one assist to his name across 18 league appearances this season, the Belgian has shown how much of a goal threat he can be from midfield in a similar way to the Newcastle star.
As well as that, the Belgian has made more progressive passes (83) than any other player at Leicester, which proves just how important he is in terms of getting the ball up the pitch, also like Guimaraes.
Do Newcastle need to sign Tielemans this month?
Yes
No
Lauded for his “magnificent” performances in the past and his “sublime” technique on the ball by journalist Josh Bunting, Tielemans has also proved how effective he can be without the ball this season.
Specifically, the 25-year-old has the second-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (53) at Leicester, which mirrors Guimaraes’ total of 57, the second-highest at the Tyneside club.
Taking all of this into account, it’s clear to see how similar the two midfielders are and how they would be able to complement each other and the team in and out of possession.