Could Wilshere prove just the tonic for Newcastle?

Newcastle United go into tonight’s crunch game with West Brom on top of the Championship after an impressive first half of the season. Despite their lofty position in the league, Newcastle are thought to be keen on adding to the squad. The fact that Beckford has withdrawn his transfer request at Leeds only adds to frustration of Hughton determined to add numbers to his ranks. Over the weekend it was reported that the Toon boss is considering making an approach to bring in Arsenal‘s Jack Wilshere on a loan deal, in order to bring some variety and creativity in and around the final third.

Wilshere is definitely available for loan, but the player has made it clear that he would prefer a move to a Premier League club rather that a side in a lower division. Despite this assertion, the stature of Newcastle United may yet convince the player that a short-term move to the North-East would be beneficial. Wilshere has found first-team football difficult to come by at Arsenal this season and has been limited to appearances in the cup competitions. He was disappointing in his recent appearance in the FA Cup against West Ham and a step down to the Championship may be what is needed to give him a confidence boost.

For Newcastle, a new player would be most welcome; they have a small squad and the arrival of a vibrant youngster could breathe new life into their season just as they look as if they may be stagnating. Newcastle’s success this season has been based on a sturdy defence and they still struggle to score goals, especially when Ameobi is not playing. They are a side that lack creativity and much of their play goes through Jose Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez so when either of these players is out of sorts, they struggle to break teams down. Wilshere is a player with great vision and awareness for his age. He would certainly have a role to play at Newcastle and his unpredictability could be the spark that Newcastle need to secure promotion.

It would be an exciting signing for Hughton to bring in Wilshere but he may prefer to bring in someone with more experience. However there is no doubting the youngster’s talent and his ability to drift past players and create opportunities could make Newcastle a more potent outfit.