Newcastle United’s Plan to Sign Big Names from Saudi Pro League in January

Monday, 11 December 2023 – 13:54 WIB

Newcastle – Newcastle United are planning to exploit their connections in Saudi Arabia by signing several big names from the Saudi Pro League in January, including the former Liverpool striker, according to reports quoted from Teamtalk, Monday, December 11, 2023.

Premier League clubs are voting to decide whether to impose a temporary ban on ‘associated club’ loan deals between them in the next winter window.

Newcastle United vs Manchester United

The vote took place at the end of November and was 13 to seven in favor of enforcing the ban. However, the threshold for introducing new legislation was 14 votes, meaning the proposal failed.

As such, Newcastle are free to secure loan agreements with four Saudi Arabian clubs who share the same Public Investment Fund ownership. The quartet is Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad.

In the last few days, Newcastle’s season has been stopped due to the injury crisis which is starting to take effect. Manager Eddie Howe was having difficulty rotating players who remained fit, and fatigue was starting to set in. Conspicuous defeats to Everton (3-0) and Tottenham (4-1) have dented the team’s expectations.

Fifth place, while perhaps enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League, is becoming increasingly difficult with Aston Villa gaining ground and Liverpool experiencing a resurgence.
Despite the expansion of the competition format for the 2024/25 season, finishing in fifth position will not be an easy task for the Magpies.

Consideration of the entry of new players in January is crucial, however, it is known that Newcastle United has limitations in terms of financial fair play.

Therefore, leveraging their connections in Saudi Arabia is an option being considered, as reported by online outlet Football Insider.

Newcastle are planning January transfers

Wolverhampton midfielder Ruben Neves

They state Newcastle are preparing ‘several loan signings’ in January to breathe new life into their season.

Football Insider named former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as a player Newcastle could be targeting. Sandro Tonali’s 10-month suspension for breaking betting rules has left a void in midfield that Neves could fill.

Elsewhere, a report in Spain (as quoted by Caught Offside), revealed former Liverpool star Sadio Mane is also targeting Newcastle.

Mane plays for Al-Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, although he could be offered a surprise return to the Premier League.

The 31 year old player will add final product on Newcastle’s left wing. Harvey Barnes’ three-month layoff with a toe injury leaves Anthony Gordon unchallenged.

The Spanish outlet also highlighted Neves as an option for midfield. However, when discussing the Portuguese coach’s future in November, trusted journalist David Ornstein suggested a move in January was unlikely. The story may be different next summer.

The last player’s name to be checked was former Lazio mainstay, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Serbian player operates as a box-to-box midfielder for Al-Hilal and was previously one of the most effective midfielders in Serie A.

The 28 year old player was named Lazio’s Player of the Year for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. He returned figures of five goals and four assists in 13 SPL matches for Al-Hilal.

2023-12-11 06:54:10
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