The new era at Newcastle United is officially underway.
On Friday morning, Kieran Tripper’s move to St James’ Park was confirmed, making him the first signing under the new ownership.
Trippier may be the first through the door this month but he’s unlikely to be the last.
Newcastle United's majority shareholder Public Investment Fund have a reported collective wealth of £320 billion and they will be looking to spend some of that in an attempt to keep the club in the Premier League.
Newcastle are currently 19th in the table, two points adrift of safety. They may need more than just Trippier to save them from relegation.
But how could their best XI look come to the end of the January transfer window?
Well, by searching high and low for the most reliable transfer rumours, we’ve created what we consider to be a realistic XI for Eddie Howe come February 1.
Let’s take a look:
READ MORE: January Transfer Window 2022: All Completed Premier League Deals
Newcastle's potential XI after January transfer window
Goalkeeper | Martin Dubravka
Newcastle’s current goalkeeper is likely to remain between the sticks beyond January and into next season.
Right-back | Kieran Trippier
Trippier will be Newcastle’s right-back having signed for £12 million from Atletico Madrid.
Left-back | Lucas Digne
Digne’s future at Everton appears to be over and, while he’s been linked with a move to Chelsea, Newcastle are also interested.
Centre-back | Jamaal Lascelles
The club captain will remain at the heart of defence to provide some much-needed stability during this transitional period.
Centre-back | Sven Botman
The Toon Army have been heavily linked with Lille defender, Botman. However, the 21-year-old will likely cost around £35 million and the club have already seen an offer rejected.
Centre-midfield | Jonjo Shelvey
Shelvey’s long-term future at Newcastle may not be guaranteed but we reckon Howe will want the experienced midfielder to stick around for the rest of the season at least.
Centre-midfield | Joe Willock
Willock hasn’t quite been able to replicate the form he showed when on loan since his permanent move to Newcastle. However, the 22-year-old has the potential to become a key figure in this new era.
Centre-midfield | Joelinton
After Joelinton’s recent success playing as a central midfielder, we think Howe may hold off buying a midfielder and may continue to experiment with the £40 million signing.
Winger | Allan Saint-Maximin
Now, we’re going for a very fluid front-three. There’s the ability for Saint-Maximin to play as a No.10 with the other two strikers forming a front-two.
Newcastle will want Saint-Maximin to stay around as long as possible. The 24-year-old is currently the club’s best player and could play a big role in this new era for Newcastle.
Winger | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The Arsenal captain appears to have played his last game at the Emirates and Mikel Arteta is likely to be willing to offload him. A loan - or permanent - move to Newcastle could be on the cards, according to the Daily Telegraph. Sky Sports pundit, Kevin Phillips, admitted that although Aubameyang is a 'top player', he questioned what his attitude would be like at Newcastle.
Striker | Divock Origi
The Daily Telegraph report that Newcastle have ‘stepped up their pursuit’ of Origi with Liverpool willing to negotiate. With Wilson ruled out for 4-6 weeks, Newcastle's need for another striker has increased and the 31-cap Premier League winner could be the perfect option.
