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The rumour mill is already spinning and there is hope among Newcastle United fans that their club can secure a major signing having failed to do so in the summer when they refused to meet Crystal Palace’s £70million asking price to Marc Guehi.
But before we go any further, we must add that head coach Eddie Howe has warned it could be a quiet month...
"It's unpredictable at the moment,” said Howe. “It's very difficult to see what is going to happen. I know no one wants to hear it, but January is always a difficult window in every window so I don't think we should necessarily go into it expecting any different to any other previous January.
“Transfer trading, generally, was down last summer compared to the previous summer so will this January follow suit and it's quieter across the board? Possibly, yes. These are things that don't go in favour of a busy window so without wanting to make predictions, I'd be surprised if it deviated from that.”
But rather accept we reality, we’d rather dream! So with that in mind, here’s Newcastle United’s new-look starting XI- based on recent rumours:
5. CB: Sven Botman
Botman will make his return from an ACL injury in the New Year and if he can rediscover his 22-23, the Magpies have a top defender on their hands. | Getty Images
6. LB: Lewis Hall
On current form, Lewis Hall is one of, if not the, best left-back in the Premier League. | Getty Images
7. CM: Sandro Tonali
Eighteen months on from his £55m move from AC Milan, Newcastle are beginning to see the very best of the Italian. | Getty Images
8. CM: Bruno Guimaraes
The Brazilian, now Newcastle's skipper, is a class act and has been since the moment he walked through the door at St James' Park in January 2022. | Getty Images