After two defeats on the spin against Man City and Liverpool, Eddie Howe might well be rethinking his Newcastle transfer strategy ahead of the final few days of the summer window.
The Magpies have been far from poor but when they’ve needed to get over the line in the big games, they’ve been found wanting.
Their cause certainly wasn’t helped against Liverpool with Sven Botman being injured, as his omission played right into the visitor’s hands late on.
Strength in depth is what is going to be crucial for all of the big teams this season, both in a domestic and European sense, so Howe, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the backroom staff are going to have to get their heads together and decide on what the best solution will be – for both the short and longer term.
There can’t be too many centre-backs potentially available with the big-game mentality and experience that it would take to be a success on Tyneside, but one of those could be Man United’s Harry Maguire speculate Chronicle Live.
The England international will have a friend alongside in Kieran Trippier, and would surely jump at the chance to join the Magpies if Howe came calling.
A deal is a long way from being done at this stage it would seem, but there are logical reasons why precisely such a move would make sense for all parties.