Newcastle United transfers: The Magpies are considering bolstering their defence this January amid an injury crisis.
Centre-back additions are high on the agenda for Newcastle United in 2026 given the club’s current injury and contract situation.
Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth are all currently out for Newcastle. Tino Livramento’s recent injury leaves The Magpies with just four senior defenders to choose from amid one of their busiest periods of the season.
While Burn is nearing a return, there is less certainty over Krafth, Lascelles is likely to leave and Schar is facing an extended period on the sidelines, leaving head coach Eddie Howe with a distinct lack of options at the back.
The Magpies boss admitted Newcastle would only dip into the transfer market this month if injuries dictated it. Since saying that, the side have lost Livramento and Schar to injuries - which could force the club’s hand.
Although there is a natrual reluctance to do business in Janaury due to the limited value for money and ever-present pressures of PSR, it’s getting to the stage where needs must for Newcastle.
While Malick Thiaw has bolstered Newcastle’s defence this season and Sven Botman has recent signed a new contract, the rest of Newcastle’s centre-back options are all over 30 and with contracts close to expiring.
Schar, Krafth and Lascelles all have deals that run until June, while Burn’s current contract expires in 18 months.
So a defensive recruitment drive is as much a want as it is a necessity for Newcastle in 2026. But the centre-back transfer targets have not been forthcoming so far.
Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini was linked with a move to Newcastle last summer but it’s understood the club have no interest in making a move for the Italian in this window or the upcoming summer transfer window as things stand. Scalvini has suffered badly with injuries over the past couple of season, being limited to just 16 appearances across the previous two campaigns.
A player who is very much viewed as one that got away for Newcastle is Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
The England international had agreed to join Newcastle in the 2024 summer transfer window, but Palace rejected a series of lucrative transfer proposals worth in excess of £60million.
Since then, Guehi has been subject to more transfer interest from the likes of Liverpool, who he came close to joining on deadline day this summer, only for a last-minute U-turn. Now, Manchester City appear to have won the long and eventful race to sign Guehi after fighting off further interest from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
It’s understood Guehi is set to join Manchester City from Crystal Palace this month for around £20million, a fraction of the price Newcastle were willing to pay just 18 months ago.
Guehi made history and won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace last season before claiming the Community Shield at the start of the current campaign. But all this has been achieved while his contract at Selhurst Park runs down.
Guehi was set to be allowed to leave Palace on a free this summer and agree a pre-contract agreement with clubs abroad such as Bayern Munich this month. But it appears the Eagles are ready to cash in now, which will result in a bargain move for one of England’s top-rated defenders this month.
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Should Newcastle United have made a move for Marc Guehi?
The Guehi ship sailed for Newcastle after they failed to sign him during the 2024/25 season. Despite his value since dropping as his contract runs down, that brought more clubs to the table and pushed The Magpies further down the pecking order when it comes to competing with contract offers.
Newcastle made a move for Guehi before anyone else but were unable to strike a deal. While it’s something that could have been revisited as the club most certainly need a new centre-back option, convincing Guehi to join in January ahead of lucrative offers from Man City would have taken some doing.
But the club had a potential trick up their sleeve that could have helped convince Palace to sell to them
The Newcastle United Marc Guehi swap deal that would have broken the transfer window
Newcastle appear to have missed out on a unique opportunity to swoop in with a cash plus player swap deal that would have worked out for both them and Palace.
Oliver Glasner’s side are in the market for a midfielder and have been heavily linked with Newcastle’s Joe Willock. According to the Telegraph, Willock is a January transfer target for Palace.
Willock has played a bit-part role at Newcastle in recent seasons and is understood to be open to leaving the club to explore more regular first-team opportunities.
As such, Newcastle could have put forward Willock as a makeweight to bring in Guehi this month and solve their defensive problems.
In a month that requires some innovation and thinking outside the box, both clubs could have done a lot worse. And it would have been a nice bit of revenge for Newcastle on Liverpool after the whole Alexander Isak summer transfer saga.
Liverpool finally got their man on deadline day, on the same day as they controversially missed out on Guehi despite the deal appearing to be done.
Alas, it looks like Guehi will remain a player that got away from Newcastle United and Liverpool as well.
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