Newcastle January Transfer Odds: A look into the top Magpies' targets during this window

2022 has been a mixed bag for everybody connected to Newcastle United. January 1st saw the eagerly anticipated mid-season transfer window open for business, with the newly Saudi-led side finally able to spend a hefty amount of their vast riches on acquiring new talent in a bid towards their Premier League survival.

Kieran Trippier was the first name through the door in the new Toon revolution and Magpies' fans started to dream about what could be. But that only lasted a short while, until Cambridge United visited St. James' Park to be specific, as the new signing and his top flight club were dumped out of the FA Cup Third Round at the hands of a team 41 places below them in the English football pyramid.

It was far from the dream debut Trippier had in mind, and an embarrassing banana skin result like that only mounts further pressure on Eddie Howe and his squad to get things right before it's too late.

With that being said, this transfer window offers a wealth of possibilities for the Billionaire-backed club and so we've delved into the transfer odds with Paddy Power for who may sign before the window's close on February 3rd 2022.

Head of the Betting

Sven Botman - 4/11

A graduate from the famed Ajax academy. The Lille based central defender is the current favourite to sign for Newcastle before the window's end, with defensive recruitments made an obvious priority for Eddie Howe since his side have conceded more goals than any other Premier League team this season. The 21-year-old is comfortable in possession and likes to carry the ball out from the back - something Howe has tried to instill since arriving.

Botman is already a title winner in Ligue 1 and has expressed his dreams of one day becoming a Premier League player, which when coupled with much speculation surrounding his name, is why he is the current favourite. However, there appear to be stumbling blocks over a fee with Lille fully aware of Newcastle's newfound riches and their need for a centre-back. If negotiations continue to falter, Newcastle could look elsewhere as they are in dire need of a new defender right now.

Todd Cantwell - 8/11

The wantaway Norwich graduate is the second of two players who find themselves odds-on for a move to the North-East. Having only featured eight times during the current campaign - five times in the opening five matches under Daniel Farke and just three starts for Dean Smith - Cantwell was omitted from his side's last match day squad against Crystal Palace just before the New Year.

He was also absent for their FA Cup trip to The Valley last weekend, which prompted questions towards Smith over a potential transfer. The boss knocked down any suggestions of development in this department, citing illness as the reason behind his exclusion. Talk about a move has gone quiet lately, but this kind of signing ticks a lot of the boxes for the Magpies, including taking away all of the onus on creativity away from Allan Saint-Maximin, as well as bringing a fresh new face in with a point to prove.

Anthony Martial - 2/1

The infamous forward to have the notorious Ballon d'Or clause inserted into his Man Utd contract before signing from AS Monaco for an initial fee of £36 million is next in the betting. The 2015 Golden Boy winner came with a big price tag and an even larger reputation on his shoulders, but things haven't worked out for him at Old Trafford. In 174 outings for the Red Devils, the Frenchman has netted 56 times which isn't an all-out entirely terrible record, but serious doubts over his performances and attitude have proved themselves correct time and time again.

Now 26-year-old, it's clear that both player and club are ready to cut their losses and a January exit could well be on the cards. Reports were believed that Tony preferred a move away from England, with Sevilla a possible destination. As of the 11th January, that loan deal has been abandoned meaning that his options have narrowed slightly.

Martial probably views a transfer elsewhere as a way to wipe the slate clean on a overall torrid time up North, but continuing in the Premier League at a club currently offering a "big fish in a small pond" with huge scope for future progress could be the exact move he needs to mount a career revival.

James Tarkowski - 2/1

If you're looking for a realistic signing that makes a huge statement about your intentions right now, you'd be hard pressed to find fewer more ideal than James Tarkowski. The former Oldham Athletic and Brentford centre half is in the peak of his career right now at a prime 29 years of age and has matured like that of a fine wine. The no-nonsense defender has become a staple at the heart of Sean Dyche's Burnley defence, forging a formidable partnership alongside club captain Ben Mee.

A dependable, vocal and experienced defender are difficult to come by so it's no surprise to see his name high up in the betting market. As mentioned earlier, fixing the centre of defence is now a priority for Howe and his men and what better way to do that than by drafting in a ready made recruit who can bring all the qualities that the team is currently crying out for. We're also not talking about someone who could do a job and be promptly replaced in the summer, but someone who like Kieran Trippier, can help usher in a new era on Tyneside for the coming seasons.

Other Names

Chris Wood - 2/1

Another Burnley man finds himself high up on this list in the form of striker Chris Wood. This one is a less conventional candidate than many of the others dominating the market, but it could be an astute piece of business nonetheless. Newcastle's attacking troubles lie in two different areas - diversity and depth.

A signing like Wood covers both of these areas, with the 6ft2 target man a different option to anything the Magpies currently possess, providing ample cover/support to Callum Wilson while giving them another player to cause a nuisance for opposition defenders.

Jesse Lingard - 11/4

JLingz's stock rose quite significantly after his successful loan spell during the second half of the season with the Hammers last term. For the longest time, a permanent move to East London seemed inevitable but parent club Man Utd decided to hold on to him going into the new campaign, with Lingard himself vying to fight for his place in Manchester.

With not much coming from this rekindling, further reports have emerged of a move away for him this January, with Newcastle and Tottenham the two clubs whose names are centring the headlines. The calibre of club that Lingard's name is attached to tells you all you need to know about how astute of a signing this would be should they manage to get it over the line.

Nathan Ake - 5/1

Ake has been a slow starter at Man City having only made 14 appearances since his arrival in 2020, but this fits the trend for Pep Guardiola signings on the blue side of Manchester taking time to properly find their feet. It's perhaps the defender's ties with boss Eddie Howe that have him as far up in the market as he is, with Howe responsible for bringing him on an initial loan to Bournemouth before making the deal permanent from Chelsea and eventually selling him on for a tasty profit to his current side. A reunion here would be a fantastic acquisition.

Divock Origi - 6/1

Out of favour at Anfield but a player of Origi's quality would be an asset at a club like Newcastle. The man has scored a number of important goals for the Reds and would join with a glowing recommendation from one of the best managers in the game right now in Jurgen Klopp. Question marks over whether he could deliver on a frequent enough basis may be asked, in addition to being a more important figure at a lesser club. In terms of a potential transfer, the Belgian may favour a move to Italy over further life in the Premier League.

Outside Shots

Ousmane Dembele - 6/1

Just about every top English club have been linked with Ousmane Dembele at some point or another. Still, during this window, talks of Liverpool's interest, Chelsea's planned moves and Man Utd's assessment of the situation continue to perforate the transfer gossip. The 24-year-old's time at Barcelona has been plagued by injury and is likely to be a deciding factor in the ongoing contract renewal saga between the two parties. This price seems awfully short given the type of clubs whose radar he is on.

Ross Barkley - 8/1

Thomas Tuchel has refused to rule out a January exit for Ross Barkley who certainly isn't getting any younger. The 28-year-old has been on Chelsea's books for over three years now, but has only made 57 appearances for the Blues during this period. A 2020/21 loan switch to Aston Villa started out promising before petering out in typical fashion.

This isn't as outlandish as the odds might suggest, but whether Newcastle who are quite frankly in dire straits currently, would take such a gamble on what you'd believe would be at least an eight-figured transfer fee on a player who cannot seem to put together a decent run of form is unlikely.

Gareth Bale - 10/1

Talks of Bale's retirement have circled the footballing sphere for a number of years now, but should Wales fail to qualify for this year's World Cup via the playoffs, that goes from just being pure speculation to a real possibility. There's no doubts that Newcastle have the money to finance such a deal but do they have the allure? Sentimentality would take the Real Madrid man back to Southampton or to his boyhood club Cardiff City, but how strongly does money talk?

Adama Traore - 10/1

Another Tottenham-linked target. Adama Traore is maybe too akin to Allan Saint-Maximin for Newcastle's liking, and even less attractive when you analyse his unflattering numbers. Adama has been the subject of a move away from Wolves almost since the day he arrived but with his game time becoming more limited over the past 18 months or so, he's likely to move on to pastures new. Playing under Antonio Conte in a team pushing for a top four place will prove too tempting should the interest become more concrete.