Gabby Agbonlahor says £45m player must go after being linked to Newcastle

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Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Newcastle must make one key signing in the January window and is shocked that it hasn’t already happened.

Newcastle are now three days into the winter window and yet there are no suggestions that they are even close to finalising a deal for any new players.

TalkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor has today claimed that he can’t understand why a move for Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips hasn’t already been confirmed by the club with all parties happy to make a deal.

Agbonlahor says Phillips should be playing for Newcastle on Saturday

Newcastle head to the Stadium of Light this weekend to take on Sunderland in the FA Cup, but there will be no new players ready to inject some fresh legs into a tired side.

Phillips has been a target for a long time now with Newcastle having enquired about the £45m midfielder in the summer, though he wanted to stay and fight for his place under Pep Guardiola.

While Phillips is understood to be keen on a move to the North East, there are other clubs who are also hoping to attract the 28-year-old in January with Juventus, Crystal Palace and Fulham rumoured to be interested.

There doesn’t seem to a be a huge amount of urgency to bring the Premier League winner in to the Newcastle squad but there is definitely a lot of interest from Eddie Howe who wants to reinforce his midfield.

On the show, Phillips said: “One [transfer] that has to happen is Kalvin Phillips, [he] has to leave.

“What are we on now the 3rd of January? Why has he not gone already?

“What’s his agent waiting for? That should all be sorted for the 1st of January, he should be somewhere now, playing this weekend in the FA Cup for his new side.”

Newcastle’s business looks to be late on in the window

Though it will frustrate many Newcastle supporters, the club look to be doing their business late on in the transfer window despite needing immediate support to help out with the amount of injuries.

The likes of Joe Willock, Elliot Anderson and Harvey Barnes are not expected to return for the next two games and Callum Wilson has picked up a new injury that could see him ruled out until February.

With Manchester City and Aston Villa coming up you could argue that one or two additions may not make a huge difference to what is likely to be two very difficult games, but they need all the help they can get.

Against Liverpool Newcastle were again a shadow of their former selves and Howe needs to recapture that form that led to Champions League qualification last year.