Hello and welcome to the Newcastle United live blog for Sunday, January 7.
Newcastle United beat Luton Town 3-1 yesterday to move through to the fourth round of the FA Cup and continue the Magpies' perfect start to 2018.
United are now in the hat for Monday's fourth round draw but for now, manager Rafa Benitez will turn his attention to who he can bring into the club with the January transfer window now open.
The Spaniard wants at least three or four new faces but STILL does not know his transfer budget.
We'll have the latest on the takeover and also all of the January transfer rumours that are starting to stack up.
As ever we want to hear from you, so please send us your thoughts over Facebook at www.facebook.com/chroniclenufc/ or on Twitter at @ChronicleNUFC.
Key Events
Who is next at Stoke?
So who will replace Mark Hughes at Stoke then? The Stoke Sentinel reports:
Derby manager Gary Rowett and Ireland boss Martin O’Neill currently head Stoke’s City’s wish list to replace Mark Hughes.
But the club’s owners do no intend rushing into a decision over the weekend and are not expected to make a significant move until the start of next week.
But they remain keen to have a new manager in place well ahead of their next game at Manchester United on Monday week.
Stoke are in the thick of the relegation mix, so NUFC fans won’t particularly want the new man - whoever it is - to hit the ground running...
NUFC Sunday gossip
ICYMI, there were a few bits and pieces about Newcastle in today’s Sunday ‘papers. Here’s a round-up:
- The Sunday Mirror claims that the game of ‘cat and mouse’ between Amanda Staveley and Mike Ashley continues with no agreement close - and that is affecting Rafa Benitez’s transfer budget.
- They say Benitez is desperate to strengthen in this window as Newcastle face a relegation scrap.
- They also report: “Various scenarios had been presented to the owner of Sports Direct by the businesswoman – including putting up money to buy players during the transfer window.But that was conditional on a sale price being agreed between the two parties, and without that there is no possibility of Benitez receiving any outside help.”
- One ray of sunshine in the report: “The club itself is understood to be open to the idea of helping the manager but Benitez still has no idea of the parameters within which he is working.”
- They say Benitez hasn’t given up on Danny Ings. Neil Moxley writes: “The Toon chief is prepared to offer the 25-year-old plenty of games to rediscover his sharpness during the second half of the season after a lengthy lay-off through injury.
And Benitez knows that with places in Gareth Southgate’s squad still very much up for grabs, a decent return between now and the end of the campaign will put Ings bang in contention.”
Lee, Speed, Shearer
Rob Lee shared a very poignant moment afterwards:
New transfer line from Chris Waugh
New from Chris Waugh. Rafa Benitez is targeting a goalkeeper. Full story here: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-scouring-europe-keeper-psg-14122881
The moments you might have missed
Always a good read. The moments you might have missed, by Chris Waugh:
Newcastle’s Cup record during the Ashley era makes for grim reading, given that United have never advanced past the fourth round under the Sports Direct businessman’s ownership. But there is still a passion for the Cup on Tyneside, demonstrated by 40,000 Newcastle fans joining the more-than-7,000 Luton supporters who had made the trip up to Tyneside - resulting in an impressive third-round crowd of 47,069 at St James’ Park.
Here’s the link: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manquillo-barged-hoarding-hayden-centre-14122974
Kenedy in this week?
Could we see the first signing this week? From the Daily Telegraph:
Newcastle United are hoping to complete the signing of Chelsea winger Kenedy next week and retain an interest in Liverpool striker Danny Ings as manager Rafa Benitez continues to push owner Mike Ashley to allow him to strengthen the squad.
A deal for Kenedy has effectively been in place since the summer, but Newcastle have been waiting for Chelsea to bring in a replacement and Benitez suspects the arrival of Everton forward Ross Barkley will enable the transfer to go ahead in the coming days.
Lascelles is fit
ICYMI yesterday. Good news.
The players linked with NUFC since August...
It’s some list...
FA Cup draw details
Cup draw details here:
Rafa on the FA Cup
You just can’t knock Rafa’s attitude to the FA Cup:
When you play against teams who are doing well in another division – they are doing really well, they have a lot of confidence - sometimes you go with over-confidence and that gives you a problem.
In the end, it was important to send a message that we wanted to do well, and I am expecting in the next one to do the same.
Kenedy on NUFC hit-list
A little bit more from the Sunday Mirror here.
Chelsea fringe player Kenedy is another on Newcastle’s hit-list.
That deal remains on the radar from last summer, but Blues boss Antonio Conte is understood to want to bring in an additional squad player himself before giving that move the green light.
He’d need someone who can play in that position, so it might not be that the Ross Barkley signing tips that one in Newcastle’s favour.
Rafa wants three but takeover talks have stalled
Meanwhile in the Sunday Mail, Rob Draper writes that the takeover talks have stalled which will restrict United to just loans this window.
They write:
Rafa Benitez is only expecting to be able to sign loan players as takeover talks between Mike Ashley and Amanda Staveley continue to stall.
Newcastle are hopeful that Kenedy will join on loan from Chelsea but will have to wait until Antonio Conte is convinced he has sufficient cover in his squad going into the second half of the season.
But the prospect of high-profile loan signings such as Joe Hart looks extremely unlikely as there is no indication that kind of budget would be available to cover wages.
Newcastle’s manager wants three new arrivals:
Benitez would ideally bring in another striker, goalkeeper and midfielder is possible but is not currently expecting to make any permanent signings.
Again there is confirmation of what we wrote earlier in the week - that there had been an offer to supplement January transfer funds from the Staveley end but that was turned down.
Staveley’s team have discussed loaning Newcastle money to enable Benitez to work in the transfer window as they recognise how critical it is for the club’s Premier League survival.
However, the complexity of arranging such funding when the sale is not yet agreed means it appears to be a non-starter.
Sunday gossip: Staveley and Ashley 'cat and mouse'
So a few bits and pieces about Newcastle in today’s Sunday ‘papers. Here’s a round-up:
- The Sunday Mirror claims that the game of ‘cat and mouse’ between Amanda Staveley and Mike Ashley continues with no agreement close - and that is affecting Rafa Benitez’s transfer budget.
- They say Benitez is desperate to strengthen in this window as Newcastle face a relegation scrap.
- They also report: “Various scenarios had been presented to the owner of Sports Direct by the businesswoman – including putting up money to buy players during the transfer window.But that was conditional on a sale price being agreed between the two parties, and without that there is no possibility of Benitez receiving any outside help.”
- One ray of sunshine in the report: “The club itself is understood to be open to the idea of helping the manager but Benitez still has no idea of the parameters within which he is working.”
- They say Benitez hasn’t given up on Danny Ings. Neil Moxley writes: “The Toon chief is prepared to offer the 25-year-old plenty of games to rediscover his sharpness during the second half of the season after a lengthy lay-off through injury.
And Benitez knows that with places in Gareth Southgate’s squad still very much up for grabs, a decent return between now and the end of the campaign will put Ings bang in contention.”
Daniel Sturridge on NUFC radar?
From the Gambling Times’ Graeme Bailey. Daniel Sturridge on the radar?
Daniel Sturridge’s frustration at Liverpool is set to see him leave in January, which could mean Danny Ings remaining at Anfield.
Both England strikers have attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs, who are keen on landing the pair.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made it clear to 28-year-old Sturridge, that he needs to do more to command a first-team place, and that is highlighted by just five league starts this season.
Klopp is happy to let Sturrudge or Ings leave, but unless Liverpool bring in a forward – sources close the situation believe that both won’t be allowed to leave this month.
And it is now believed that Sturridge is the most likely of the two to be heading to the exit door.
Southampton and West Ham are leading the chase for Sturridge, although Newcastle, Watford and Scottish champions Celtic are also keen. It is believed Brendan Rodgers would happily offer him an escape route.
Newcastle interested in Kevin Trapp
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are keen on a loan move for PSG keeper Kevin Trapp.
The Magpies are in the market for a new keeper and have been linked with moves for Kiko Casilla and Joe Hart in recent days.
Now the Mail are claiming Trapp is a target, with the 27-year-old currently playing second fiddle to Alphonse Areola.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt shot-stopper has been restricted to just three first team appearances and is keen to get first-team football to boost his chances of making Germany’s squad for the 2018 World Cup.
Trapp - who has won two caps for Die Mannschaft - started his career at Kaiserslautern and was one of the Bundesliga’s most highly rated goalkeepers prior to his move to PSG in 2015.
Lascelles is fine
Despite being taken off injured. Here is what Rafa Benitez had to say.
When is the FA Cup fourth round draw?
All you need to know...
What did we learn from the Luton win?
Plenty, as Chris Waugh explains...
Yesterday's match report
Go on. Read it. Relive it.
Good morning
Welcome to today’s live blog.
It’s always great to wake up on a Sunday after Newcastle have won and we will be bringing you all of the reaction to Saturday’s FA Cup win over Luton.
We will also be bringing you all of the latest transfer and takeover news, so stick with us throughout the day!
