£21m Newcastle player is going to be back in the squad vs Aston Villa this evening

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It looks like Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United squad is going to become a little bit stronger against Aston Villa tonight.

The Magpies travel to Villa Park to face Unai Emery’s side, and it was largely expected to be the same team that beat Fulham in the FA Cup. The only addition was expected to be Joe White, who was cup-tied on Saturday after returning from his loan spell with Crewe.

He could be involved in tonight’s Premier League clash, and so could Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguayan was missing against Fulham due to illness, as rumours over his future continued to circulate. He has been a target for Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab, at a time when Newcastle need to sell before they buy.

Over the past few days, Almiron has looked like the most likely player to leave. However, various updates on Monday night suggest that the 29-year-old is going nowhere – and that means he will likely feature against Aston Villa tonight.

Updates on Miguel Almiron possibly leaving Newcastle United

Various journalists have commented on the Almiron situation heading into Newcastle’s game against Aston Villa.

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards wrote: “NUFC have still not had a single bid for Miguel Almiron and transfer deadline in Saudi Arabia is tomorrow. That deal does not look like it’s going to happen – unless there is a manic 24 hours tomorrow – which would make any incomings extremely unlikely. Almiron happy to stay and will be involved against Villa as things stand.”

The Guardian’s Ed Aarons added: “Understand that Miguel Almiron looks set to stay at Newcastle after Al-Shabab failed to reach a deal for the Paraguayan. He’s in line to return against Aston Villa tomorrow after illness.”

Miguel Almiron back to face Aston Villa

So not only does it appear that Almiron is staying put, but he could also return to the Toon squad tonight. It sounds like he will be over his ‘illness’, which will be a huge boost for Howe.

That means he will have a decision to make as to who plays on the right wing. Jacob Murphy started there against Fulham, and had looked set to continue in the starting XI until this news about Almiron.

Howe now has the option of rotating, while he will also be able to make a change during the game that could actually influence the outcome. That is a luxury that the Newcastle manager has not been afforded for a long time.

Almiron staying and being available for tonight is great news, but it is bad news for the rest of the January transfer window. Newcastle need to sell someone, and the £21million man looked like the most likely to go.

But now that he appears to be staying, it is going to be all but impossible for Howe to make any new signings before the transfer window closes on Thursday night.

It has been a difficult month for Newcastle so far, and it looks set to stay that way due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.