---
title: "Newcastle: Chris Waugh reveals Eddie Howe transfer wishes"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/chris-waugh-howe-january-transfer-targets/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2021-11-29T16:15:02Z"
modified: "2021-11-29T16:15:02Z"
---

# Newcastle: Chris Waugh reveals Eddie Howe transfer wishes

**Eddie Howe has requested that a centre-back and full-back be signed in January amid Newcastle United’s defensive struggles.**

That’s according to Chris Waugh, the club’s correspondent for [The Athletic](https://theathletic.co.uk/2979862/2021/11/27/newcastles-flaws-stem-from-the-back-the-defence-is-porous-ageing-and-error-prone/).

### The lowdown

Newcastle find themselves rock bottom of the Premier League after suffering a seventh defeat in 13 matches on Saturday.

Their tally of 15 goals scored is [actually better than seven teams](https://understat.com/league/EPL), including Wolves and Tottenham in sixth and seventh positions respectively. However, it’s their [league-worst defensive record](https://understat.com/league/EPL) which is costing them – they’ve shipped 29 goals so far, an average of more than 2.2 per game.

Continue at the current rate, and they could concede 85 before the end of the season. For context, Derby County’s 11-point side in 2007/08, [statistically the worst](https://www.eplmatches.com/epl-records/) in Premier League history, [shipped 89](https://www.eplmatches.com/epl-records/).

### The latest

In [tweeting a link](https://twitter.com/ChrisDHWaugh/status/1464862216482660361) to his article for [The Athletic](https://theathletic.co.uk/2979862/2021/11/27/newcastles-flaws-stem-from-the-back-the-defence-is-porous-ageing-and-error-prone/) outlining the Newcastle manager’s transfer wishes, Waugh said that “Howe wants defenders in January” but fears that it “could be too late by then” to fix a “porous, ageing & error prone defence”.

A further tweet from the journalist claimed that centre-backs and full-backs are [‘being scouted’](https://twitter.com/ChrisDHWaugh/status/1464943122622959619) heavily by the club’s recruitment staff, with Howe regarding these reinforcements as crucial.

Waugh [added](https://theathletic.co.uk/2979862/2021/11/27/newcastles-flaws-stem-from-the-back-the-defence-is-porous-ageing-and-error-prone/) that scouts have been scanning Europe for players entering the last six, or last 18, months of their contracts, while the manager also has some British-based targets in mind.

### The verdict

It’s hard to argue with Howe’s assessment, but who could Newcastle actually end up signing?

The club are said to be [‘reasonably confident’](https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/19731567.will-newcastle-united-target-january-transfer-window/) of striking a deal for Burnley’s James Tarkowski, who has failed to agree a new deal at Turf Moor. The Clarets defender is valued at [£22.5m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tarkowski/profil/spieler/173504) by Transfermarkt, while one [potential full-back target](https://cf-particle-html.eip.telegraph.co.uk/f6e8bc9a-8353-473c-b708-29c014327e6f.html) in Kieran Trippier is rated at [£18m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-trippier/profil/spieler/95810).

Tarkowski featured in the WhoScored Premier League team of the season for 2020/21, while the Atletico Madrid right-back has been [capped 35 times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-trippier/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/95810) by England.

The duo also boast plenty of English top-flight experience, with [171](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tarkowski/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/173504) and [107](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-trippier/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/95810) appearances respectively in the division, so both could be ideal recruits for January if Newcastle can persuade them to join the Howe revolution.

**In other news, [this Newcastle trio struggled against Arsenal](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/ritchie-wilson-saint-maximin-arsenal-premier-league/)**