Newcastle United need a player like Hatem Ben Arfa

Newcastle United have plenty of players to choose from in January, but they need someone who resembles Hatem Ben Arfa.

Newcastle United have some talented players on their roster, with Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey being the most notable, but the club has lacked the presence of a true playmaker for years. The last true playmaker to put on a Newcastle jersey was the frenchman, Hatem Ben Arfa.

Ben Arfa was one of the most talented and dynamic players to ever play on Tyneside. His ability to weave around defenders, pass the ball with precision and create scoring opportunities in the most unlikely situations made him a phenomenal player.

The January transfer window will present the Magpies with a golden opportunity to bring in a player who can influence and take over a match when needed. With that being said, Newcastle must find a player who resembles Ben Arfa in midfield.

Playmakers to Pursue in January

Oguzhan Ozyakup (Besiktas)

Oguzhan Ozyakup is a big name player in Turkey and he plays an integral role in the domestic and continental success of Besiktas. However, the midfielder has flown under the radar across Europe. The Turkish international midfielder would, without a doubt, make Newcastle more competitive in matches because of his superior dribbling and good vision.

Ozyakup is not known as a goal scorer as he has only scored 24 goals in 171 appearances for the Turkish giants, but he is known for orchestrating meaningful attacks. Newcastle have some players with superior passing abilities, but they do not have a pass-first playmaker who can frequently set teammates up for scoring chances.

Denis Zakaria (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Unlike Oguzhan Ozyakup who is gradually attracting more attention, Denis Zakaria is an underrated midfielder who has the potential to become a great player. The 21-year-old midfielder from Switzerland earned his move to the Bundesliga because of his pace and vision.

Zakaria knows how to position himself in midfield to get several touches on the ball and then set up teammates cutting into the penalty area. Newcastle have failed to create a proper passing rhythm in most matches this season, but Zakaria can solve that problem. The fact that Zakaria has already earned 13 call-ups to the Swiss national team and is learning from players like Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri in midfield aids his development as a promising playmaker.