Two Championship Players Newcastle United Should Look To Sign In January
Rafa Benitez, given his budget limitations, has made an excellent fist of signing “Championship players” and making them title winners or even firm and established Premier League participants.
Jamaal Lascelles looks closer and closer to being a finished article, Isaac Hayden the same as well, and other players such as Jacob Murphy, Karl Darlow, DeAndre Yedlin and Ciaran Clark seemed destined not to have a chance at the top level and are now performing admirably.
There is more talent to be squeezed out of England’s second tier, regardless of budget, and the Spaniard knows it. Clubs like Everton in particular, with Joleon Lescott, Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka and plenty of others, have done rather better from the EFL as it is now than what they’ve done with their current policy of spending big.
So, who else from the Championship could Newcastle bring in to genuinely improve their side further? Here are two genuine options:
James Maddison (Norwich City)
After the Tom Cairney deal failed to come to fruition last winter, Benitez was left without the type of no.10 he truly wanted and I can comfortably see Benitez doing all he can to sign Maddison instead.
The sort of no.10 Rafa is looking for, as we’ve written about here numerous times before, is the Steven Gerrard type such as what he had at Liverpool. In other words, this is to be someone big and strong enough to help out the midfield two when required but be up with the attack in the blink of an eye and Maddison definitely fits that bill.
His cool, calm and controlled finish to win the derby at Ipswich Town last week will have added something to his transfer fee but the Canaries’ demands are probably not enough to put Newcastle off and he is a player who can replace Mo Diame as the main competition to the admirable work horse that is Ayoze Perez.
Joe Bryan (Bristol City)
City’s left-back and occasional left-sided midfielder is in terrific form this season and would fit into Newcastle’s squad perfectly right now given their need for an attack-minded left-back.
Paul Dummett has been underrated by most and is definitely a squad favourite of Rafa’s. However, he is not the long-term solution that Rafa needs in order to get this club winning regular trophies. So even when Dummie is due back from injury, Bryan would be a very welcome addition to the squad.