Newcastle Toons
Fansided

Newcastle United: Who should be the #1 transfer target?

By Carson A Merk

"St James Park Panoramic (6708891541)" by Jimmy McIntyre - Editor HDR One Magazine - St James' Park PanoramicUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_James_Park_Panoramic_(6708891541).jpg#/media/File:St_James_Park_Panoramic_(6708891541).jpg
"St James Park Panoramic (6708891541)" by Jimmy McIntyre - Editor HDR One Magazine - St James' Park PanoramicUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_James_Park_Panoramic_(6708891541).jpg#/media/File:St_James_Park_Panoramic_(6708891541).jpg /
facebooktwitterreddit

Trailing only Brighton on the Championship table, what player should Newcastle United make the biggest push for this transfer window?

The January transfer window is an interesting time in English soccer. A lot of teams are looking to add pieces to bolster their second half chances, but not many are looking to let players go, in fear of their own club slipping down the stretch. Newcastle United is in a far better position than most teams on the market this January, currently in line for promotion. They are second on the table, the highest scoring club, and boast the top goal scorer in the league, Dwight Gayle. Brighton is ahead of them by two points, and six points behind sit Reading and Huddersfield. Jonjo Shelvey’s five match ban is nearly up, and it can’t come soon enough for Toon Army. The club has lacked creativity, and often the necessary quality, in the attacking third.

Related Story: Five Creative January Transfer Targets

Two players that have recently come into the picture are Tom Ince and Tom Cairney, both currently playing in the Championship. Ince, a 24 year old attacker at Derby County, is the son of former English national team captain Paul Ince. He’s scored eight goals this season. Cairney has tallied five scores for Fulham. Both of these players would be pricey, and neither has proven themselves at the top level. They have great potential, but with a potential bump to the Premier League, proven talent may exceed potential this window.

Ryad Boudebouz of Montpellier has been a player attached to Newcastle transfer rumors for awhile now. He fits the mold of a quick, attacking player with a nose for the goal. He’s scored seven times in 16 league matches this year. Unfortunately, he is currently out with a knee injury, expected back around February. He is not guaranteed to be full strength at that point, but he could be a good addition for the club to build chemistry with now, then move up to the EPL next season.

To me, the club needs to spend whatever they need to in order to bring in Boudebouz. He is proven at the highest level of French soccer, and he plays on a senior national team with Algeria. He is 26, in the prime of his career, and an incredible distributor. Also an ace on set pieces, Boudebouz immediately adds a versatile threat to a sometimes stagnant attack. Whether he wants to play in the Championship is unknown, but they could pitch that promotion is on the way, allowing him to showcase his skills in the Premier League next season.