The three players the Magpies need this January.
By Alex Diamond
Newcastle are suddenly the world’s most intriguing club this January. Thanks to new Saudi owners and a weak squad filled with open spots on the roster Tyneside is filled with excitement as fans dream of world-class players such as Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland wearing black and white stripes. And although that would be incredible to see, it’s highly unrealistic. The chances of any top-level superstar moving to the northeast of England this January transfer window are slim to say the least. This isn’t a tragedy though, their now endless budget grants Newcastle access to a plethora of incredible talents available for Newcastle. This begs the question, “what three players should Newcastle sign this window?”.
It’s likely Newcastle will aim to fix their flaws with new signings, which is something that’s actually quite challenging considering how many issues the team is afflicted with. The only true Premier League level players are goalkeeper Marin Dubravka, right-back Kieran Trippier, striker-cum midfielder Joelinton, strikers Callum Willson along with Chris Wood, and the only true star player currently on Tyneside is the gifted left winger Allan St-Maximin. This list presents numerous holes, specifically in a lack of nearly any quality central midfielders, right-wingers, left-backs, and centerbacks positions. All of this means the transfer window is a matter of damage limitation instead of renovations-luckily there is a very clear hierarchy of needs at Newcastle.
Despite his subpar attacking qualities, Jamal Lewis has a combination of Premier League experience and defensive abilities that make his presence as a stopgap tolerable. Miguel Almiron’s pace and pressing at right-wing also qualify him for the role of stopgap. Although both will inevitably need replacing if Newcastle ever wants a chance of qualifying for European competition. What is desperately needed though is a central midfielder and two new center-backs. Specifically, it is necessary to find a versatile midfielder that could play in either a midfield two or three with the energy and stamina to cover lots of ground, – and preferably one with room for improvement. In terms of center-backs, the performances of Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark have been so abysmal that any player- or even no player at all, would serve as an improvement
Centerback Bremer of Torino in Serie A presents himself as a remedy to Newcastle’s centerback woes. Despite being relatively young for a center-back, the 24-year old Brazilian has stood out in Serie A this season. His 6”2 height and 3.27 aerial duels-won per 90 minutes make him dominant in the air. Bremer is also a major upgrade in terms of on-the-ball ability and his presence would bring something new to a one-dimensional style of buildup play, a front-footed defender with one of the best pressure success percentages in Serie A his aggressive style would facilitate a higher defensive line the Magpies desperately need. This incredible current and potential ability coupled with the fact he is currently available for a rumored 30 million euros makes him a must sign.
In the ideal world Bremer would be paired with Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, another young centerback at age 22. Tapsoba makes up for his youth with experience, having spent four years playing at the highest levels in Portugal and Germany, along with having 19 caps for Burkina Faso. He’s a different kind of centerback than Bremer, a true “Rolls-Royce” defender with an extraordinary passing range and the ability to carry the ball into midfield. Tapsoba boasts four progressive passes and 3.84 progressive carries per game. That sort of distribution is rare to find and could allow Newcastle to play through the lines on a consistent basis, something they’ve lacked the ability to do for quite some time. However, there is one glaring issue with the young defender’s game- he lacks the aerial prowess of Bremer despite standing at 6”2 height. This might be a positive though as it suggests he simply hasn’t grown to take full advantage of his height, seen in him winning only 45.8 percent of his aerial duels, although that can be improved with the right kind of coaching. That glaring weakness is made up for by the rest of his game- especially that wand of a right foot. Tapsoba offers a unique set of skills to Newcastle and could slot into the starting lineup on day one, and has the chance of becoming a truly elite player. that will depend heavily on if he can grow into a more reliable aerial presence. Currently valued at a reasonable 40 million euros by TransferMarkt, Newcastle need to make the signing now before the European elite inevitably starts circling around one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting defensive prospects.
It is important to mention that Bremer and Tapsoba have been considered as a package and would work well together. Bremer’s aggressive confrontational style pairs nicely with Tapsoba’s more reactive style of play while any gaps in Bremer’s ability to progress the ball forward are more than filled by Tapsoba. Both lack exceptional aerial abilities but Bremer is more than capable in that department. The duo also boasts considerable pace and general physical abilities, neither having any need to improve physically to adjust into the Premier League. Overall, the duo could change the face of Newcastle’s defense this season and also have the potential to develop into the kind of elite-level players the club’s new Saudi owners will be thirsting for.
The position that poses a more difficult question is central midfield, Joelinton’s revival as a midfielder fills one of the likely two spots in a Magpies double pivot leaving only one spot. Joelinton has proven himself to be at his best when deployed as a explosive box-to-box presence, constantly moving all over the pitch to wherever he is needed. He would likely fit best with a more disciplined deep lying midfielder in one of two molds, either a more physical ballwinner or a proficient reader and controller of the game. There is a third mold though, the unique player that can do either, a truly rare kind of player you only have the opportunity to sign once a generation. And with Newcastle’s newfound wealth there’s a chance that kind of player might go to the north of England.
That is why Newcastle should do whatever it takes to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco. Tchouameni is the latest player off the Monegasque talent pipeline, a pipeline that has produced the likes of Kylian Mbappe in recent years. Tchouameni is one of the finest to come off that pipeline, capped by France seven times at age twenty. Tchouameni is mature beyond his years, with a physical presence standing at his six feet tall. But what really sets Tchouameni apart is his versatility, he is the rare player that has no weaknesses in his game – and time to improve something made more impressive by his age. His defensive ability is exceptional, already 99th percentile for tackles and interceptions per game there’s no doubt Tchouameni can dominate a midfield and win any ball (he currently recovers the ball 11 times a game on average) at any level against any opponent, he can even win the ball in the air boasting a ridiculous 68.9% aerial duel success rate. That is not all though, Tchouameni’s on-the-ball ability is also exceptional – top ten in the highly competitive Ligue 1 for progressive passes, passes into the final third, and dribble success rate this year. Not even hours of praise could do Tchouameni’s incredible talent justice. He has the ability to be the world’s best midfielder in multiple roles. Despite only being of legal age for about a year his game is mature to the point of having no weaknesses, something rare among even mature players. Europe’s elite are already tracking his every move preparing for a transfer bid, and whoever signs him will have a world-class midfielder with the ability to improve further for only 50 million euros.
Newcastle signing Bremer, Tapsoba, and Tchouameni this winter seems unrealistic- yes, but if they can pull it off, the Magpies would suddenly go from fighting relegation to looking to qualify for a European Competition such as the Europa League next year. No matter what they do in this window, Newcastle will have the world’s eyes glued to northern England for as long as the current Saudi ownership is present.