What would constitute a successful January for Newcastle United?

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Newcastle United are headed into the January transfer window desperate for reinforcements as they prepare for another relegation battle. There was friction between Rafa Benitez and Mike Ashley during the summer, as the Magpies’ boss felt that he had been short-changed when it came to recruitment.

There is no doubting that the club already had a good squad filled with hard-working players, but it was always going to be a stretch for them to survive comfortably without added quality. Their manager realised that and his warnings in the media are now beginning to be proven true.

The board now have another opportunity to put that right, but the impending takeover clouds the waters. Ashley is in between a rock and a hard place, as the club is unlikely to be his in May, but if he fails to invest and relegation looks likely, Amanda Staveley may choose to walk away.

The Premier League adds a lot of value to the club and the current owner would be a fool to allow their position in the division to be under any more threat than necessary. Benitez realises the fragile nature of the club’s current position as the following quotes reported by The Guardian show:

“I hope that Mike Ashley is clever enough to understand. What I say is it’s his team, his business, he wants the best for the team.”

“We’ve been progressing and talking about names and the way to move forward. We’re going slowly but I think we can have some good news in the next couple of weeks.”

Although Benitez talks of being hopeful of good news, he is a realist and his previous experiences with Ashley suggest that investment is far from certain. There was conflict last January and again during the summer. It seems that the moment the owner decided to sell the club, his willingness to spend his own money decreased hugely.

He may be ready to take a step back already, but until the club is sold, it remains his responsibility and the coming window could be the most important of his long tenure as owner.

Despite being given a small budget in the summer, Benitez showed that he could still find value for money in the transfer market. Joselu may not be the best Premier League striker, but he is functional and brings out the best in those around him. A return of three goals and one assist may not seem great, but for a £5 million investment, he has managed to contribute.

Mikel Merino has been the best signing made by Newcastle and has emerged as one of the team’s most important players. If the Spanish manager can find another three or four like him, the Magpies will be in a strong position to stay in the top flight.

In an ideal world, Benitez would like to strengthen across the pitch. However, it is difficult to bring in a whole new team in January. This means the manager is going to have to focus on two or three positions that he feels are the weakest in the current squad. At the time of writing, those are likely to be goalkeeper, attacking midfield and striker.

During the summer, Newcastle supporters were surprised that Rafa Benitez was looking to sign a goalkeeper, given they already had Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow on their books. Both of whom have impressed in a Newcastle shirt. However, as the season has developed, neither have looked to have the quality needed to be a Premier League number one.

Both are decent keepers, who can do a job for a period, but the Magpies will want better if they are to progress under a manager that will have lofty ambitions long-term.

It is difficult so suggest names of goalkeepers that Newcastle could target, but it is a position they should look to strengthen in January. Michel Vorm is a potential target given Tottenham have three good individuals capable of playing well between the sticks.

Another goalkeeper that will be keen to look for first-team football is Maarten Stekelenburg, who has been pushed further down the pecking order at Everton by Jordan Pickford. A manager as intelligent as Benitez will have a number of names that he is following across Europe as well.

The creative midfielder position is more clear-cut for Newcastle as they have a long-term target who could be available this January. The Magpies failed to convince Fulham to sell Tom Cairney last January and in the summer, but the struggles of the Cottagers could see them choose to cash in on their club captain. They were expected to challenge for promotion, but they are in 12^th at the time of writing.

Although a play-off push remains a possibility, it remains a long-shot that they will return to the Premier League this season. At the age of 26, the Scottish international is running out of time to test himself in the top-flight. If Benitez returns with a bid this month, a deal could happen.

It is important for Newcastle to add creativity to their ranks, as they lack a quality number ten. Ayoze Perez is industrious, but he lacks the physicality to thrive in the role, while Mo Diame has proven that he is better in the middle of the park. Cairney has the quality to contribute in the final third.

His tally of one goal and one assist this season isn’t great proof of that, but it may be that he needs a transfer to refocus his motivation. The Scottish international is able to drop into midfield if required and that makes him a great fit at St James’ Park.

Aleksandar Mitrovic wants to leave Newcastle United this month and that will provide funds for the club to spend if they can find a destination for him. However, that will mean that the club need at least one new striker, preferably two.

Liverpool’s Danny Ings has been mentioned as a target and he would be a useful addition, but supporters will be hoping for a more reliable signing, as the Liverpool striker would represent a risk.

One bonus of it being a World Cup year is that some high-quality players will be available for loans in January as those not playing regularly will want to do all they can to make the summer tournament.

Two Premier League strikers that Newcastle should ask about are Daniel Sturridge and Michy Batshuayi. They have seven Premier League starts between them and neither have started in the month of December. If they have serious World Cup ambitions, they will push for loan moves this month.