da wazamba： Newcastle United's squad is down to the bare bones and it is having a destructive effect on the team on the pitch. Having beaten Manchester United emphatically on Saturday, the Magpies suffered a devastating 3-0 defeat away at Everton on Thursday night.
da blaze casino： Central defender Jamaal Lascelles limped off at Goodison Park, compounding Eddie Howe's misery. However, the attacking department looks rather bare too and Howe had no first-team calibre options on the bench to bring on and change the game as a result.
With the January transfer window quickly approaching, the manager has already begun identifying players who can make a difference for the remainder of the campaign and could make a move for a former Premier League winner.
Newcastle transfer news – Ferran Torres
According to a recent report in Spain, Newcastle United have joined the race for Barcelona's out-of-favour winger Ferran Torres this winter, with the player keen to leave La Blaugrana at the first opportunity.
The outlet stated that the Spaniard has presented himself as a valuable option for the Geordie outfit, who will compete with Serie A champions Napoli and Atletico Madrid for his signature.
Torres is no stranger to English football, having spent two seasons playing under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, winning a league title in his debut campaign before eventually heading to the Catalan giants for £48m.
Since he arrived at the Nou Camp, the Spain international has made 90 appearances in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and recording 11 assists, picking up a La Liga winners' medal for his troubles. Head coach and club legend Xavi even claimed that the forward is "world-class".
However, Torres has played 19 times this term for Barcelona but has started in merely nine of those games, which has reportedly left him unhappy at the club and keen to leave in January, with Newcastle seemingly ready to swoop in and capitalise.
Ferran Torres' stats this season
Despite starting in just nine games in the 2023/24 campaign, Torres is still racking up some decent numbers in front of the goal. The Spanish attacker has found the net five times and registered two assists across the league and the Champions League. This is an average of one goal contribution every 125 minutes for Barca, according to Transfermarkt.
Furthermore, Torres is currently outscoring Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron this season and has even tallied more assists than the Paraguayan. Almiron has scored four goals and boasts just one assist in 22 games in all competitions for the Magpies and is set to turn 30 in the new year.
Howe could be looking to replace the £21m star in the starting lineup and Torres could be the perfect option to do so. Almiron could find himself as a mere squad player in the future if the ex-Valencia star moves to St. James' Park.
Despite Almiron's questionable performances this season, the Paraguay international has held onto his starting spot due to the lack of competition, with Jacob Murphy sidelined with a shoulder injury until the end of January.
Upon Murphy's return to the squad, Howe will need to decide whether to keep him or Almiron, should Torres arrive. Statistically, Torres has outperformed both Murphy and Almiron in a number of key areas despite his limited starts.
Goals
0.51
0.3
0.25
Expected Goals
0.32
0.07
0.19
Assists
0.1
1.21
0.12
Expected Assists
0.1
0.3
0.09
Progressive Passes Received
8.57
10
7.32
Shots
2.86
2.12
2.05
Shots On Target
0.92
0.91
0.62
Goals Per Shot
0.18
0.14
0.12
Key Passes
2.04
2.17
0.87
Carries To Penalty Area
1.12
0.87
0.81
Stats via FBref
This comes after the former Norwich winger managed four goals and two assists in 36 Premier League games last term for the Magpies, whilst the LaLiga ace has already managed three goals in seven starts this season.
Torres is performing better than both as a goalscorer, but Murphy has actually boasted better metrics than Almiron which could leave the ex-Atlanta United man out in the cold if Newcastle complete the signing of the Barcelona wantaway this winter.
Therefore, Howe could land an upgrade on Murphy and Almiron by securing a deal to sign the Spain international.