Sporting director Paul Mitchell has his work cut out for him as Newcastle United fans await arrivals.
Paul Mitchell will be keen to hit the ground running and work his magic having fallen behind when he joined midway through the summer transfer window.
Fast forward to January, Mitchell has implemented his transfer strategy and Toon boss Eddie Howe has handed him his transfer wishlist – a striker, winger and goalkeeper.
Newcastle need to sell before they can buy, but players like Miguel Almiron and Martin Dubravka look set to depart and free up some vital room to manoeuvre.
Mitchell wants to recruit youth from overseas but that doesn’t stop him from looking at domestic options. A recent transfer update now suggests that Newcastle could do just that – a young star who has taken the Championship by storm this season.
Newcastle and Nottingham Forest scouting Millwall’s Romain Esse
Romain Esse has enjoyed a great season with Millwall so far – helping the London-based club as high as sixth before Neil Harris left the club in December.
Esse has scored four goals and picked up an assist in his 22 appearances for the Lions so far this season but has played in several different positions.
The versatile man can play on either wing and in attacking midfield, something Howe will like as Newcastle struggle for attacking depth.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest are among the Premier League sides who have watched the 19-year-old in recent weeks.
The report also states that Ligue 1 side Monaco are also aware of his form and are keeping tabs on him as a result.
Newcastle’s focus on youth recruitment
Mitchell’s shift in focus is one that could save Newcastle a lot of money in a PSR-driven world. There are plenty of young options out there.
Newcastle want 20-year-old Abdukodir Khusanov but has interest from across Europe. The Magpies have also kept tabs on PAOK FC striker Stefanos Tzimas, although a move for him could be difficult as he is currently out on loan at Nurnberg who have a buy option.
Elsewhere, if Newcastle wanted to save more money, they could choose to continue developing young players who have joined the club in recent years.
The likes of Cathal Heffernan, Trevan Sanusi and Travis Hernes all joined from other clubs for a fee and look close to entering the Magpies’ first-team squad soon – following in the footsteps of Sean Longstaff and Lewis Miley.
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