Newcastle United suffered a late defeat to Liverpool on Monday as Rio Ngumoha scored on his debut to make it 3-2. However, the loss of that point is only the second biggest problem to come out of the game for Eddie Howe.
It looks certain that four of Monday’s starting 11 will be unavailable for their next Premier League fixture against Leeds on Saturday, as Anthony Gordon was sent off for a late challenge on Virgil Van Dijk and is currently facing a three-game suspension.
The other three absences are all injuries, with Fabian Schar having to be taken off due to a concussion. He is the most likely of the four to be available for the Leeds match, but that will depend on his recovery over the coming days.
The bigger injuries were suffered by midfield duo Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. Tonali had to be removed due to an apparent shoulder injury, and Joelinton followed ten minutes later with a muslce problem.
Post-match, Howe was asked about both injuries and said it “doesn’t look good” and “they both look threatening for us in the sense they could be out for a while”. Due to this, Newcastle are considering drastic action in the transfer market and bringing in a replacement midfielder in the final few days of the window.
Newcastle one of six Premier League teams considering Gallagher
Newcastle are considering signing Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher as a replacement for the injured Tonali and Joelinton. Graeme Bailey of TBR Football spoke about a number of teams showing interest in Gallagher but told fans "don't rule out Newcastle" and "keep an eye on Newcastle".
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Gallagher appears to have been on Newcastle's radar prior to this week but their interest has intensified following the injuries. How much Atlético would want for the 25-year-old is currently unknown, but they paid £33 million for him last summer.
On the personal side of things, Gallagher is reportedly on just over £150,000 a week, and Newcastle have a working relationship with his agency, Elite Management Agency, as they also represent centre-back Dan Burn.
Gallagher is receiving interest from multiple clubs hoping to bring him back to the Premier League before the transfer window ends - Newcastle and Everton currently look the most likely to make a move, but West Ham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Manchester United are all also considering the England midfielder.
Gallagher can ease long term depth concerns
While several clubs are interested in signing Gallagher, they're all looking to replace slightly different midfielders. It speaks to his versatility that the six different clubs see him as a potential solution to their problems.
Manchester United and Tottenham are considering Gallagher as a typical defensive midfielder, with Tottenham considering him if Yves Bissouma moves on. Last season, he was in the top 15% of players for defensive recoveries and tackle success rate, making him more than capable of breaking up play and supporting the defence.
Crystal Palace may be looking at Gallagher as a replacement for Eberechi Eze following his move to Arsenal, in which case, he would be a far more attacking signing. During his season on loan at Crystal Palace, Gallagher registered 13 goal involvements in 39 games, demonstrating his attacking acumen when properly utilised.
Newcastle's typical midfield of Joelinton, Tonali and Bruno Guimarães are all players who can perform both defensively and offensively. With various suitors wanting Gallagher for both of these attributes, it makes him the perfect replacement if it turns out that both injuries are long-term, also providing depth behind all three when the trio are fit and firing.