Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted the club may be compelled to enter the January transfer market to combat a worsening injury crisis that has decimated his defensive options.
Defensive Crisis Hits Magpies Hard
The situation has become so severe that for this weekend's Premier League clash against Chelsea, Howe is likely to deploy midfielder Lewis Miley at right-back and could call upon reserve team player Alex Murphy at left-back. A host of first-team defenders are currently sidelined, with Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, and Tino Livramento all ruled out until early 2026. Lewis Hall is also a major doubt for selection.
One potential short-term solution, recalling Matt Targett from his loan at Middlesbrough, appears unviable after the player said farewell to teammates in the summer. His contract at St James' Park expires at the end of this season.
Howe's 'Opportunistic' Transfer Approach
When questioned about potential January business, Howe outlined a cautious but open strategy. He told Chronicle Live: "We are always looking to be opportunistic. If there is something there that everybody feels will benefit the club for the short and long-term, I think that is something we will look to do."
He added that the final decision would be guided by the state of the squad in the new year, stating: "Depending on what happens in the next few days and weeks... there might have to be a need and a necessity to be active. We don't want to recruit anybody to fix a short term need to create a long term problem. I think we will make decisions on what that injury situation looks like in the first week of January."
This comes amid reports that the club's backers, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), have injected £45 million ahead of the winter window, offering hope that new signings could revitalise a season that sees Newcastle languishing in 12th place in the Premier League.
Cup Success Masks League Struggles
Despite their domestic league woes, Newcastle have progressed to the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a 2-1 win over Fulham and remain well-placed in the Champions League play-offs. Howe, however, is under no illusions about where his team is primarily judged.
"We want to do well in every competition," he said. "I don't think we can be criticised for doing well in the cups. We are not looking to paper over any cracks, we know the Premier League is where we will be judged the most. Our Premier League form has to improve."
With a gruelling festive schedule ahead, the injury list could force further drastic measures. Howe revealed he might even need to consider using midfielder Joelinton as an emergency centre-back if the situation deteriorates further.
Addressing the challenge of playing individuals out of position, the manager remained pragmatic: "I've had lots of challenging periods... I think as long as you can put a team out on the pitch and it is competitive, then I'm good with that. Sometimes you will play players out of position. You see a lot of teams up and down the country do it. As long as we are putting good players on the pitch that's all that matters and I back them to perform."
