The January transfer window is a matter of hours away from slamming shut and Newcastle United may look to add to their squad before tonight's deadline.

Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth moved to make their first senior addition of the month last week as they snapped up Everton forward Anthony Gordon on a permanent deal.

The Toon duo could now bolster the squad's options in the middle of the park by pursuing a deal to sign Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Jonjo Shelvey's pending move to Nottingham Forest on a permanent basis opens up a space in the midfield department and the Blues gem could be the dream signing for the head coach in that area of the pitch.

Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that the Magpies are "interested" in signing the England international before the deadline but that they may not find out whether or not he is available until late into the day.

If Howe can secure a deal to sign the 27-year-old talent on deadline day then he could be a dream signing in the middle of the park as a technically-gifted midfielder who has already proven himself in the top tier of English football.

In the Premier League last season, Shelvey, who is set to be on his way out of the club, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 24 appearances. He made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 0.7 key passes per game whilst completing 81% of his attempted passes, which shows that the experienced maestro was a well-rounded option for Newcastle in the middle of the park.

Loftus-Cheek could now offer similar qualities at St. James' Park. The £120k-per-week dynamo also made 24 appearances in the top-flight last term and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94, whilst making 1.7 tackles and interceptions and 0.8 key passes per outing and completing 90% of his attempted passes.

The gem, who was once dubbed an "animal" by journalist Aaron Stokes, is similar to Shelvey in the sense that he offers quality at both sides of the game and is a reliable passer in midfield, with neither player being a specialist in a defensive or attacking midfielder role.

At the age of 27, Loftus-Cheek also has room to improve and could develop under Howe's coaching, which could make him an excellent addition for the mid-term as well as the immediate future.

He is a proven Premier League performer and someone who could, in theory, come in and hit the ground running - making him a dream addition to Howe's midfield options after Shelvey's prospective exit.