Newcastle United have been handed the opportunity to sign Stuttgart's Bilal El Khannouss for a knockdown fee of around £33.4m in the January transfer window, a player they were linked with during the summer.
The Magpies faced a straight choice in the final days of the summer transfer window over their pursuit of a No 10, with Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo emerging as their number one target and El Khannouss seen as a back-up option.
Newcastle sealed a £51m deal to sign Fernandez-Pardo, but the 21-year-old prefers to play as a centre-forward and is yet to score in seven appearances for the club as he adapts to life in England.
Creativity void in the squad
Joe Willock and Yoane Wissa have been used in the No 10 role instead, and while the pair made a decent start to the season, their form has tapered off in recent weeks. There is a void of creativity in the squad, with the feeling that Matthias Jaissle's system is built around a 10 and there is no natural option in the squad.
There is a tinge of regret in some quarters that Newcastle did not target El Khannouss instead, who scored nine goals and registered nine assists in all competitions last season. He has two goals to his name this term.
Sky Sports in Germany are reporting Stuttgart are prepared to sell him as early as January and would be open to offers in the region of €40m (£33.44m), including add-ons. Galatasaray are also monitoring the Morocco international's situation.
PSR headroom confirmed
Speaking back in September, sporting director Ross Wilson and chief financial officer Simon Capper confirmed the club do have PSR headroom. When pressed on whether that headroom would allow them to spend in January, Wilson confirmed they have the ability to make alterations in the winter window.
"Of course, but we have built a squad for the season," Wilson said. "That's what we've done, we've build a squad for the season. That doesn't mean we might not make further alterations to it in January."
"If you want to be a successful club in the Premier League you have to trade players and if you don't the chances are you won't be a successful club in the Premier League, particularly where the revenues of this club are in a phase where David and his team are making those revenues really, really grow. But without that if you don't trade players you are going to get stuck."
Jaissle open to January additions
Matthias Jaissle admitted last month there is space and a need to improve the squad in January, if required.
"I think this is the approach from every coach," Jaissle replied when asked if he would be knocking down the door of the sporting director to improve the squad in January. "First of all, we trust our squad, the current squad we have here, but there is always space and needs, usually also to improve, to bring players in where it's needed."
"Until January, that's still a long time. Many things can happen performance-wise, injury-wise, so you need to work on options throughout the whole year. But now it's also time to work with the group in the best possible way. I mention also so, so often, that I'm really pleased and happy with that group. A young group, but really willing to learn and to improve."
