Newcastle United have reportedly made an official offer to sign Kieran Trippier in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Looking likely

Writing in a recent piece for The Telegraph, journalist Luke Edwards revealed that the St James' Park club are closing in on signing Trippier and are hopeful that they can strike a deal with Atletico Madrid soon.

The January window is now open, so that transfer can be made so long as both clubs can come to an agreement.

It looks set to be a busy month for the Magpies as they look to bring in the players who will help them avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Latest: Bid made for Trippier

As per Craig Hope on Twitter, Newcastle have now made a 'formal bid' to sign Trippier, and there has been 'significant progress' in talks between the two parties.

The Daily Mail journalist added that there is 'expectation' that the deal 'will be done' soon.

The Verdict: Great start

Bringing in Trippier would be a great start to the window for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium, and it should mean that other quality players could follow.

The 31-year-old has experience of playing in the English top flight before during spells at both Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, while he has also played at the highest level in the Champions League.

He should certainly improve Newcastle's defence - after all, England manager Gareth Southgate described him as a 'defensive animal' last June - while Eddie Howe will likely know how to get the best out of him, having coached him at Burnley.

Trippier would certainly be a statement signing from the new owners at St James' Park and could give the Magpies a good chance of staying up.

In other news, NUFC are also 'keen' on signing this 'unreal' talent