· December 23 2024, 12:30
January is just over a week away and that means transfers transfers tranfsers. Unless you're Newcastle United and it usually just means frustration frustration frustration.
Newcastle had Eddie Howe's first transfer window in January and we bought plenty and we bought well, but that was out of sheer necessity.
Since then, the club signed Anthony Gordon in January, but then last year only added Alfie Harrison to the reserves, and while there are areas of the squad that desperately need attention, the feeling is that we'll wait until the summer to address those issues.
Indeed, Eddie Howe practically said there'd be no business in January on Saturday when speaking to Gary Lineker on Match of the Day.
Advertisement
Anthony gordon scarf
newcastleunited.com
Anthony Gordon was a January signing
Eddie Howe left his January comments more open to interpretation today
Speaking to the media (via The Chronicle) this morning ahead of the visit of Aston Villa on Boxing Day, Howe once again reiterated the point that he's focusing on the current squad.
However, this time there was more context behind his words that leaves the door open for signings, this context was definitely missing from Saturday's interview.
"For me, it's always the same - let's concentrate on the players that we have. We have a very good squad and my job is to try and get the best out of every single person within that squad. That will be my focus going into January. If that changes, then, great. If not, then, we will carry on working."
Advertisement
Paul Mitchell is the one handling the transfers
Both times Eddie Howe has emphasised that it's about working with the current crop of players, but the key difference today is that he said it in a way that suggests that he's just getting on with things while Paul Mitchell handles the transfer side of things.
He'll continue with the current squad until Mitchell changes it. On Saturday it very much sounded like Howe was saying that there'll be no movement at all in January.
Obviously, only time will tell, but we don't have much longer to wait now before all the madness starts.