West Ham 3-1 Newcastle United: Joe Buck reaction
The latest transfer talk from Newcastle United as the Magpies prepare for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Athletic Club
Newcastle United are currently focused on their attempts to improve their recent run of form ahead of what already feels like a crucial week in the season.
Sunday’s deeply disappointing performance and result in a 3-1 defeat at West Ham United left the Magpies sitting in thirteenth place in the Premier League table and ensured they are still looking for their first away win in the league this season. There have been positives during a disjointed campaign and Eddie Howe’s side head into Wednesday night’s Champions League home clash with La Liga club Athletic Club knowing they can move to the brink of progressing into the knockout rounds of the UEFA’s elite club competition with a win.
There is also a Carabao Cup quarter-final home tie with Premier League rivals Fulham to look forward to after United saw off Bradford City and Tottenham Hotspur to move closer to defending the trophy they memorably claimed with a 2-1 Wembley win against Liverpool last season.
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As much as there is a focus on on-field matter, the January transfer window is already looming large and Newcastle are expected to add to Howe’s ranks in the new year. There have been links with several potential targets in recent weeks and months and one players linked with a move to St James Park in recent weeks is one of the players that helped send the Magpies to their latest defeat at West Ham at the weekend.
Brazil international Lucas Paqueta was a target for United prior to his move to the Hammers and there have been reports Newcastle remain keen to reunite the midfielder with his close friend and international team-mate Bruno Guimaraes at St James Park. However, football finance expert Stefan Borson has warned a January deal would be ‘very hard’ to complete and suggested a summer deal would be more likely.
Positive
SCREAMER: From West Ham's Lucas Paqueta against Newcastle United as the Irons make ground on Leeds United.placeholder image
SCREAMER: From West Ham's Lucas Paqueta against Newcastle United as the Irons make ground on Leeds United. | AFP via Getty Images
He told Football Insider: “Well, there’s two sides to it. First of all, he’s not playing brilliantly. Secondly, he’s got the situation out of the way, which is obviously very positive. So, that does clear things up and, clearly, he can deliver if his mind’s right at a new club, so that’s all great. But he’s a year older than when we looked at it, when some of these numbers were banded around. I don’t think the numbers are probably right, to be honest, the numbers that we’ve had in the past.
“I think we’re going to get to a point where, in all likelihood, we’re looking at £50m, let’s say, but then there’s a very limited market for £50m players in January, so it’s a hard deal to do in January. Who would buy him for £50m in January? Who would buy him for £40m? It’s just not that kind of market for a player of his age. I do think the value’s come down, but I still possibly don’t think it’s going to have come down low enough to get a deal in January. I mean, you might be able to get it in the summer, but I think January is very hard.”
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