With the longest takeover in football history potentially nearing the beginning of the end, would Mike Ashley be willing to add the purchase of a few real quality players for Newcastle to his moves for Debenhams and The Trafford Centre in the January sales to try & win The Carabao Cup so he could leave the club he has owned since 2007 with held higher having won its first major trophy in 50 years?

Steve Bruce has another chance to improve his squad when the January transfer window opens and the importance of freshening up a squad every available transfer window cannot be overstated. It introduces new competition for places which naturally guards against squad complacency, protects against injury while raising quality on the pitch if the right players are bought and new faces at the club add to dressing room and supporter morale.

The right signings in January could help land that first elusive trophy for decades with a Semi-Final tie up for grabs if Newcastle beat Brentford and potentially European football with the winners of The Carabao Cup and teams finishing 6th & 7th in The Premier League going into the new third tier of European competition, UEFA's Europa Conference League.

Brazilian striker Joelinton, who had one of his best games for the club since arriving from Hoffenheim last time out against Crystal Palace earning a place in the coveted WhoScored.com's Premier League's team of the week, spoke about his hopes that Newcastle could "pinch" a place in the European squad telling Brazilian media:

"Our intention is to go as far as possible, but we know the difficulties of the Premier League..
"I think we have to think game by game, with each victory, so that we can walk a good path in the competition and, in the end, pinch a spot in some European competition."

Newcastle have enjoyed some spectacular success in the January window under Mike Ashley notably the purchase of on-fire striker Papiss Cisse for £10M in January 2012 whose 13 goals in 14 Premier League games shot The Magpies to a 5th place top flight finish and Europa League football with some of the best goals St. James' Park and The Premier League have ever seen:

The Magpies repeated the trick in the January 2013 window with five major signings in the shape of Matthieu Debuchy, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haidara to boost Newcastle's French legion at the club, a necessary gamble with the club battling on two fronts simultaneously - a Premier League relegation battle & a Europa League campaign - and the injection meant safety and a Europa Quarter-Final.

The question I always ask when thinking which players Newcastle should buy is always based on what would happen player X or Y was injured and could they be replaced within the squad? Thankfully the confirmation of Karl Darlow as a top class goalkeeper in Martin Dubravka's absence has answered the big fear of fans from last season but now it is a case of what would happen if, heaven forbid, lethal frontman Callum Wilson got a long-term injury and the answer isn't great so a second natural, goal-scoring striker remains the absolute primary target.

Newcastle have made a good start in both League and Cup standing 13th in the top flight and are one of eight clubs from 92 still standing in the Quarters of The League Cup but to ensure they are looking up the table for the rest of the year, its important to bolster the squad at every opportunity and these are the players they need to kick on towards both the Top 10 and a first Wembley final appearance since 1999:

  1. Jean-Phillippe Mateta - Mainz - £25M

The surprise goal-scoring star of the Bundesliga season so far is French front man Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose 10 goals in 11 games including 2 hat-tricks is the kind of goal-scoring form of either Demba Ba or Cisse at their best in a black and white shirt.

At 6ft 4in, the 23 year-old strike is big enough to fill Andy Carroll's boots and would be his perfect natural successor in that aerial target-man role in the squad & he would be more equipped to handle the often thankless lone strike role up top but just importantly be a strong partner to Wilson or Joelinton and generally pose an extra attacking threat.

Mateta, a France U19 and U21 international, recently revealed why a mooted summer move to Crystal Palace didn't go ahead with as direct a response as his playing style:

“It’s very simple,”
“I didn’t see myself in any of the clubs that wanted me. I said to myself; ‘the best thing to do is stay in Mainz, play a good season and then see what happens next summer’.”

Could he be tempted with a move to The Magpies, who if they beat Brentford, are in the Semi-Final of the Carabao Cup and possibly nearing the end of a long takeover process?

A January move for him may tempt Mainz & would beat Jose Mourinho's Spurs & Napoli to the punch for a player growing into a goal-scoring colossus of the European stage.

2. Myron Boadu - AZ Alkmaar - £20M

The 19 year-old striker remains one of the hottest striking prospects in the game after transforming his club form onto the international stage with Holland scoring on his debut against Estonia and has notched 26 times in 63 games for the Eredivisie outfit.

Lightning quick and capable of scoring with both feet and his head, he is reportedly being scouted by everyone from AC Milan & Barcelona to Man United & Arsenal although Newcastle were linked with his signing from the turn of the year as well.

As well as lethal finishing, Boadu can run with the ball & involves himself in general play & build up as well so would be an excellent foil to the more fox-in-the-box type Callum Wilson yet could also lead the line himself whenever necessary posing as dangerous a threat.

Time may be of the essence to sign him while clubs recover from the financial impact of Corona Virus and a big bid now could reap serious dividends in the future.

3. Phil Jones - Man United - Central Defence and Central Midfield - Loan Deal

If ever a footballer needed a move to a new club and a fresh start, its Phil Jones, the versatile Man United defender-cum-midfielder who has fallen from grace to such an extent he is more recognisable as a popular meme face than the player likened to Duncan Edwards Sirs Alex Ferguson & Bobby Charlton with Fergie saying in 2012:

"Jones, arguably the way he is looking, could be our best ever player. I think Jones may be one of the best players we have ever had, not matter where we play him. At 21 years of age, he is going to be a phenomenal player. I think he can play anywhere on the pitch.He has such a massive influence, with his instinct and reading of the game. He has a drive about him."

That was when Jones was 21 and while his career certainly hasn't lived up to the heights of those great expectations, he has won a Premier League title medal and 27 England Caps and has a lot to offer if the right man-manager like Steve Bruce could restore his confidence away from the rarefied and pressured atmosphere of the Old Trafford club.

Certainly worth a punt on loan to bolster the ranks of Newcastle with 250+ games of Premier League, European and international experience.

4. Robbie Brady , Burnley, Everywhere from LWB, LW, RW, No. 10, Forward - £5M

Signing the Republic of Ireland international would complete a hat-trick of Eire players at Newcastle along with defensive stalwart Ciaran Clark & summer signing Jeff Hendrick and would give Bruce much needed cover, options and expertise in different positions.

Bruce is a known admirer of his talents having signed the versatile Irishman from Manchester United while manager of Hull City and as well as craft and tenacity, the 28 year-old would provide something else lacking in the NUFC - dead-ball expertise.

The Magpies have struggled to produce quality from free-kicks and corners this year save Jacob Murphy's excellent late strike against Wolves and a left-foot wand the quality of Brady's could only enhance the team's set-piece threat or right foot for that matter after his superb goal for Burnley against Everton on Saturday.