Newcastle United have looked right at home among Europe's elite this season, even defeating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in their first game back in the Champions League at St James' Park. Their recent loss against Borussia Dortmund brought them back down to earth, but Eddie Howe will still be looking towards that PSG victory as a building point for the season as a whole.
The more they perform on Europe's biggest stage, the more attractive they become for some top talents, too, which could see even more reinforcements walk through the door at St James' Park in both the January transfer window and next summer. And that could include one particular Bundesliga star.
Newcastle transfer news
With Harvey Barnes struggling with injury and Sandro Tonali facing a 10-month ban for betting breaches, Newcastle's summer transfer window hasn't exactly aged well. The Tonali news is a particular blow, and one that they must bounce back from by using the market and welcoming another midfield option. It gives Howe a headache that he didn't expect to have, but it's one that could lead to the arrival of another top player.
The latest Exequiel Palacios transfer news suggests that he could be among the options on Newcastle's shortlist, too. According to TeamTalk, the Magpies, alongside Manchester City, PSG, Atletico Madrid and Burnley, have watched the midfielder in recent months, and PIF are hugely impressed by what they have seen.
If Newcastle are to land Palacios, they may need to act fast, given the incredible number of clubs reportedly interested in securing the Leverkusen man's signature in the near future. They have shown their pulling power in the past when landing the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, and will undoubtedly need similar persuasion to lure Palacios away from the Bundesliga in the coming months.
Exequiel Palacios is Xabi Alonso's "excellent" ball winner
Palacios has impressed many this season at the heart of a Bayer Leverkusen side who are yet to suffer the taste of defeat in all competitions, with Xabi Alonso's team sitting at the top of the Bundesliga. Palacios' stats show just how valuable he has been for Alonso in the current campaign – when compared to current Newcastle midfielders, things look mighty good for the Argentine.
Player
Goals
Assists
Interceptions
Exequiel Palacios
2
2
15
Bruno Guimaraes
1
1
4
Sean Longstaff
2
1
3
Currently on course for a title charge at Leverkusen it would have to be some pitch from Newcastle to land Palacios as soon as January, particularly given the praise that he has received in Germany, including from Alonso, who said, via News Rebeat: “First, I think he’s buying it. The improvement comes organically from himself. The experience of the World Cup, with the role he had, makes him feel that he has that self-esteem. When you feel like you’re not, when you’re a world champion, and when you take that trophy, it gives you that edge of wanting more and having more ambition.
“Pala is back from the World Cup, he’s been playing at an excellent level for two months. The great improvement of the team has come, in large part, thanks to the step forward that Pala has made in his game."