Newcastle United

Newcastle United

Premier League • England

Howe eyes former Man Utd star as list of Newcastle targets continues to grow

Odion Ighalo Nigeria 2021 TEAMtalk1

A report claims Newcastle United are keen to sign Al Shabab star Odion Ighalo in January and the striker is open to a change of venue.

The Magpies have been tipped to bring in several new faces next month. Eddie Howe is in charge of the rescue mission which has yet to get off the ground. He replaced Steve Bruce in the St James’ Park dugout but results have barely improved.

The Tynesiders have picked up their first win of the campaign but need many more to survive. It is open to debate whether they can do it with their current squad.

And many names have been linked to the north-east outfit. The latest is Ighalo, who has enjoyed a nomadic existence as a professional, rarely putting down roots.

The former Nigeria international spent two-and-a-half years with Watford. And it was a productive spell, with the African netting 39 times from 99 appearances in all competitions.

Having played for Chinese sides Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhuahe, he was a surprise arrival at Manchester United in January 2020.

The Lagos-born hitman made 19 appearances and scored five goals during the Covid-hit campaign before moving to Saudi Arabia.

It seemed as though his days playing in England were over but Newcastle might give him an opportunity. He is one of a number of players Eddie Howe is targeting, according to reports.

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Al Shabab have informally asked Ighalo if he is interested in joining Newcastle, Sky Sports suggest. And they add that the former Granada forward would seriously consider a move.

Ighalo on long list of Newcastle targets

Newcastle’s status as one of the richest clubs in the world means they have the financial muscle to target top stars. The one major problem is their parlous position in the table.

Sitting 19th at Christmas is not a good state to be in and they need to get on a run in the new year to climb the table. Howe requires class additions to his squad.

And the ex-Bournemouth chief is targeting loan signings. One man thought to be on the radar is Juventus forward Aaron Ramsey.

A report earlier this week suggested his switch to St James’ Park is ‘inevitable’. Players will also be leaving but Howe admitted he has not discussed exits with any of his squad.

Eddie Howe Newcastle United 2021 TEAMtalk1

It looks set to be a pivotal month in the club’s history and one that will make or break Howe’s time at the helm.

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