This January could be an almighty one for Newcastle United as they enter the transfer market for the first time under the guidance of PIF, their oil-rich new owners.

Trying to push any cash from Mike Ashley's wallet in recent years was a strenuous task but it's thought the club's Saudi investors will be far more lapse with their finances.

What's the word?

That could certainly be the case after an exciting new update from journalist Duncan Castles.

The reporter was speaking on his Transfer Window Podcast this week and told listeners to expect something pretty big from the Magpies in January after PIF decided to change their strategy just a few weeks after being in the northeast.

He said: "Initially, the idea was to be conservative in the January window, they didn’t want to do deals then.

"They were conscious that it’s hard to do deals then, the prices can be high and availability is limited, but they now feel that they have to use the window to its maximum potential.

"I’m hearing talk of maybe five or six players coming in."

Fans buzzing

This is a piece of news that Newcastle supporters will have simply been dying to hear.

For so long the Toon Army have been starved of a lack of ambition at St James' Park but Castles' new claim seems to suggest that the Magpies will launch quite an offensive strategy in the January transfer market.

It remains to be seen who those five or six players are but it wouldn't be a surprise if a few of them are marquee acquisitions.

Talented forward players like Mauro Icardi, Nicolas Pepe and Dusan Vlahovic have all been linked while the twinkle-toed Donny van de Beek is an option and the bulldozer that is Stefan de Vrij has popped up on their radar too.

Of course, it would be wise of Amanda Staveley and co to pull off a few shrewder deals too, gently balancing out the squad before truly flexing their financial muscles in the summer of 2022.

Either way, the idea of signing a whole new crop of players will surely leave supporters delighted, especially when you consider the considerable rebuild that Eddie Howe needs to pull off.

He has walked into a mess in the northeast with the Magpies sitting towards the foot of the table and in danger of relegation.

Therefore, any further help in January would be appreciated, let alone from half a dozen potential new recruits.

The buzz has died down a little since the initial period of being taken over but this is something that will no doubt create more hype around the club.

AND in other news, Howe could find his new Ake if Newcastle swoop for "very intelligent" £26.8m beast...