Newcastle United’s chances of signing Ruben Neves ahead of the January window received a boost following PIF’s decision.
According to Team Talk, Newcastle United received a boost in their pursuit of Ruben Neves ahead of the January window. The Saudi PIF are open to letting their players join the Magpies to help ease Eddie Howe’s midfield problems following Sandro Tonali’s ban.
Newcastle United’s January plans may have changed following the Sandro Tonali ban due to his involvement in a betting controversy. The midfielder will miss 10 months, which could see him return for the start of next season.
The Magpies have not considered terminating his contract and could welcome him next year. They have invested significantly in the Italian during the summer and will look forward to the future with Tonali in their squad.
For now, they do face some shortages in midfield, with Eddie Howe keen on adding a replacement to manoeuvre through a tough season. The Magpies are particularly looking at a good player but may only sign someone on loan.
Howe would want someone with decent experience, particularly in the Premier League. Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips remains an option, with Pep Guardiola’s side reportedly open to letting him leave on a loan deal in January.
However, in recent days, Newcastle United have increasingly looked at the Saudi Pro League for a different solution. The PIF have reportedly given their green light to let their players join the Magpies to help ease their midfield problems.
Gabri Veiga remains a target, but there are also links to many other PIF-owned stars, such as Serhej Milinkovic-Savic, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Neves. The latter only made his move from Wolves to Al Hilal during the summer in a €55 million transaction, but the final word may come from the PIF.
As things stand, Neves remains open to joining Newcastle United in January if an opportunity presents itself. For Howe, the 26-year-old midfield ace could make a huge difference to his team, considering the Portuguese international has massive experience in English football.
Newcastle United may have to broker the right deal with the PIF and Al Hilal to get the 26-year-old midfield ace back on English shores. He will properly help Howe replace Tonali for the remainder of the season, at the very least, which is what the manager wants from the new signings.
Subsequently, it will also help Newcastle utilise their limited funds towards signing other players in different areas. Howe reportedly seeks a central defender, as that’s an area which lacks depth in quality, especially in a season where the Magpies are facing challenges on multiple fronts.
