Newcastle’s transfer policy: Hughton must stick, not twist

Newcastle United are performing well in the Championship, morale is high and the team is winning games; a stark contrast to last season’s dismal campaign. They have recently confirmed the signing of French winger Fabrice Pancrate till the end of the season. He will provide good cover on the wings and is a welcome addition to a squad that is lacking in depth. With the January transfer window on the horizon, Chris Hughton will soon be turning his attention to the job of player recruitment as he seeks to secure promotion for his side.

The main priority for Hughton in this transfer window is to keep hold of his key players; frankly it would probably be better for Newcastle if this window were not to open at all. Managers tend not to make big signings in the January transfer window but there have been developments in the Premier League that could be the cause of some concern to Hughton. Birmingham City’s Alex McLeish has a reported transfer budget in the region of £40million, whilst Portsmouth may also be looking to bolster their squad. Both these sides are likely to be battling relegation at the end of the season and will be looking for players with Premier League experience to boost their chances of survival. Newcastle currently possess a number of players that have plenty of Premier League experience; the likes of Steven Taylor, Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith could all be targeted in January by struggling sides in the top flight. However, Newcastle do have a tendency to pay ridiculously high wages and it is possible that these players’ wage demands will put off any potential suitors. Hughton will also be grateful that Diego Maradona continues to select Jonás Gutiérrez and Fabricio Coloccini for international duty as they will not be thinking about moving clubs to ensure participation in the World Cup.

Aside from keeping hold of his best players, Hughton may also be looking to strengthen the squad in preparation for the spring. It is unclear how much money he will have to spend, but it is unlikely to be a substantial budget. Loan signings are the most likely and Hughton may be looking to find adequate cover in defensive positions. Long-term permanent signings should not really be made in this transfer window as the club is hoping to be playing the Premier League next season so signing players of a lower quality on long-term deals would make little sense. The transfer window will be a successful one if the first-team squad is retained as it is, and a loan signing or two would be a bonus.