Newcastle’s ailing squad was not supplemented during the January transfer period, despite the team exhibiting the stresses and strains synonymous with competing on multiple fronts this season.
The Magpies are still in all four competitions they entered back in August: Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup – but could find themselves out of the latter by midweek.
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Eddie Howe says Newcastle are waiting until the summer transfer window
Sandro Tonali was linked with a deadline day switch to Arsenal – but it transpired there had been no contact between the clubs (Image credit: Getty Images)
Club captain Bruno Guimaraes is currently out injured having picked up an ankle issue in the Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven late last month.
Meanwhile, fellow midfield options Joelinton and Lewis Miley are also set to miss Wednesday night’s encounter with Manchester City in the second leg of Newcastle’s Carabao Cup semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.
Bruno Guimaraes (L) and Joelinton (R) are absent this week (Image credit: Getty Images)
Speaking ahead of that match, Howe said he needed to ‘choose his words carefully’ when reviewing the January window.
Every other team in the division, except Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – all of whom have deeper squads on paper – added at least one first-team player during the winter window.
“Is it a risk [not signing anyone]? Yes. I need to choose my words carefully here – we were left with no other option really,” Howe said.
“Every decision we make has a long-term implication. There was no guarantee even signing someone with the funds we had would even help us short term.
“It is what it is. We have been used to working in these conditions for a while – we have only been active in one of the last four or five windows. We are under restrictions and we have decided to wait until the summer when it’s easier to recruit and there’s better value for money,” the Toon boss added.
The Toon Army are hopeful of playing Champions League football again next season (Image credit: Getty Images)
Supporters were understandably frustrated by the club’s decision to keep their powder dry last month with palpable fears that the current squad does not have the depth, or quality in some cases, to achieve the team’s goals for the 2025/26 campaign.
Newcastle sit 11th in the Premier League table with 14 league games remaining.
In addition, the team face a Carabao Cup second leg versus Manchester City, a visit to Villa Park in the FA Cup Fourth Round and a 5,000-mile round trip to face Qarabag in a two-legged Champions League knockout play-off, many of which are games that take place over the next month.