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Following their club's £300 million takeover and the sacking of their much-maligned manager Steve Bruce, Newcastle United fans can dare to dream again.
It is expected that the new owners would splash the cash after appointing a big-name as manager. While winning trophies will be the long-term plan, for now, Newcastle United will be keen not to get relegated. They are 19th in the Premier League at the moment.
Some heavyweights of the game have already been linked with the club. However, it is highly unlikely that the likes of Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland would move to St James' Park any time soon.
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On that note, here's a look at five players who could join Newcastle United in January:
#5 James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
James Ward-Prowse was heavily linked with a move to Aston Villa this summer, but eventually signed a new contract with his current club.
Southampton through and through, Ward-Prowse has been a one-club man thus far. He made his debut for the club in 2011, and has made 332 appearances in all competitions for them, scoring 35 goals and providing 43 assists. The England international is comfortably one of the best dead-ball specialists in the Premier League at the moment.
Ward-Prowse is capable of playing in a variety of midfield positions. The 26-year-old is a talented player who is renowned for his fitness; he has been a regular feature in the Southampton midfield for quite some time now. It is no surprise that Newcastle United have been linked with him, although he will not come cheap.
#4 Donny van de Beek (Manchester United)
It would be incredibly surprising if Donny van de Beek remains a Manchester United player after the winter transfer window.
Van de Beek joined United from Ajax in 2020 for £35 million as one of the best young players in the world. The midfielder, though, has found game time extremely difficult to come by, and many fans have expressed their frustration with that. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been regularly quizzed about Van de Beek's lack of minutes.
The Netherlands international has made just one Premier League appearance this season, which lasted for six minutes. Van de Beek deserves better, and the 24-year-old is reportedly actively seeking a way out. Everton, Newcastle United, Barcelona and Arsenal have all been linked with the midfielder.
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#3 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Ousmane Dembele joined Barcelona as a potential Neymar replacement in 2017, but has done little to justify that hype since then.
Barcelona signed Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for £121.5 million, as they urgently sought to replace the PSG-bound Neymar. Dembele was seen as a wise investment by the club, as the France international had impressed in both Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga at a very young age.
However, Dembele has had constant injury issues since joining the La Liga giants. He has made 118 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 30 goals and providing 21 assists.
Once seen as one of the best young stars in the world, the 24-year-old now struggles to string together a run of appearances for the senior team. Dembele has endured controversies off the field as well. His current Barcelona contract expires next year, so he could leave the club in January.
#2 James Tarkowski (Burnley)
James Tarkowski has established himself as one of Burnley's most important players under Sean Dyche.
The 28-year-old is Burnley's defensive star, which says a lot. Burnley are renowned for their defensive and disciplined style of play, which does not make them very attractive to watch. However, Tarkowski has thrived since joining the club from Brentford in 2016 for £3.6 million.
The centre-back looks likely to leave the club on a free transfer once his contract expires next summer, though. Newcastle United have been linked with him recently, and the England international could be a smart and cheap addition to improve the Magpies' defence.
#1 Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)
It is rather astounding that two Barcelona players are being linked with moves to Newcastle United. More astounding is the fact that both players cost Barcelona over £100 million each.
One of them, Philippe Coutinho, joined the La Liga giants from Liverpool in 2018 for an eye-popping fee of £121.5 million. The Brazil international was one of the best players in the Premier League before his move to Barcelona, and many regarded him as an ideal player for Barcelona.
Coutinho has struggled to live up to those expectations, though. A season-long loan spell at Bayern Munich would be bitterly remembered by Barcelona fans. Coutinho scored a brace as Bayern Munich thrashed his parent club 8-2 in the 2019-20 Champions League quarter-final. The 29-year-old is now a squad player for Barcelona, and is likely to leave the club in the near future.
You may also like: UEFA's Club Ranking - Top 5 Clubs (October 2021).
