To Sign for Newcastle United Before 31st January 2021 Odds - 26/05/20

Newcastle United are one of the biggest clubs in English football with one of the richest histories and biggest fan bases, despite struggling to perform at the highest level on the pitch in the last two decades.

However, the North East club could be set for a return to the upper echelons of the Premier League after an agreed sale to Amanda Staveley and her Saudi-backed investors, in a deal worth around £300m.

The deal could see the Magpies transition in a similar way to Manchester City after their takeover in 2008, and the investment could see a drastic change in the quality of signings for the club.

Here, we look at the Paddy Power odds for the players who could potentially sign for Newcastle by the end of the January 2021 transfer window.

John McGinn has been rated as the favourite to sign for Newcastle by Paddy Power, with the odds of 11/4.

Aston Villa are facing relegation after their first season back in the Premier League, with a total of 17 losses and just seven wins all season, leaving them at 19th in the league currently.

McGinn has been one of Villa’s most influential players this year, despite the Villians being second from bottom. Should his side face relegation to the Championship by the end of the season, it is likely we will see the Scot seek a move away from the Midlands side sooner rather than later.

Interestingly, the Villa midfielder was signed by Steve Bruce from the Hibernian in 2018. Now, it appears to be the case that his former manager is set to sign McGinn for a second time, in a deal that could be worth around £30m.

Salomon Rondon is another player highly likely to sign for Newcastle on a permanent basis in the coming season, and Paddy Power have rated the odds 11/4 also, for this move to happen.

After signing on loan from West Bromwich Albion in the 2018/19 summer transfer window, Rondon has since made a permanent move to Chinese Super League side, Dalian Yifang Pro.

At the time of his departure in an interview with The Sun, the then Newcastle number nine said he would have stayed at Newcastle because of his love for the fans. Although, as per usual, the forward star felt he was unwanted by owner Mike Ashley.

The Venezuelan forward played 32 times under former Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, scoring 11 times in the league for the Magpies and has now been linked with a move back to St. James’ Park. His £40m Brazilian replacement, Joelinton, has failed to impress with the Magpies, scoring just once in 29 games this season.

Whoever is in charge of Newcastle in the coming windows will seek a new striker, with goals becoming a serious issue for the club in recent years.

Gareth Bale is one of the bigger names linked with Newcastle as their takeover gets ever closer, and Paddy Power have given the Welshman the odds of 4/1 to sign for Bruce’s side.

Although being very successful in the elite realms of European football by winning four UEFA Champions League medals, Bale has not quite been as loved over in the Spanish capital. Fans have never quite warmed up to the former Tottenham Hotspur superstar and his relationship with Zinedine Zidane has also seemingly never developed.

The Welsh winger has scored 80 league goals across his 169 La Liga appearances, however, and has no doubt been one Spain's top players within this time.

Perhaps a move to Newcastle could reignite the superstar status he once possessed in the Premier League, as the Magpies also look to rebuild themselves as the major club they once were and challenge at the upper end of the table.

However, his wages will no doubt interfere with Financial Fair Play, whilst at 30 years old, Bale probably has his sights set further up the domestic tables for now.

Arturo Vidal is Paddy Power's fourth most likely player to sign for Newcastle before the end of the January 2021 window, with odds of 5/1.

The Chilean box-to-box midfielder moved from Bayern Munich to Barcelona in the 2018/19 summer window for a fee of around £16m, although he has failed to establish himself as a permanent first-team regular. The likes of Frenkie De Jong, Arthur, Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets all often preferred to Vidal, which has forced the reports about a potential move in the near future.

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the former Juventus man has said that he would be willing to join Newcastle to reconnect with his former manager, Massimiliano Allegri, should he join the Magpies also.

However, with Mauricio Pochettino as the favourite and Benitez not too far behind to take the helm, Vidal will most likely not play under Allegri at Newcastle, which could also affect his odds of signing for the club at all.

Fifth on this list is Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos, who Paddy Power have been given odds of 11/2 to sign for Newcastle before January 31st 2021.

The Colombian has scored 29 goals across all major competitions for Steven Gerrard’s side this season, attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, including Newcastle.

The 23-year-old would be an interesting signing in the revolution for the Magpies as he has shown a lot of potential under Gerrard and his resurgence of Rangers and their return to the top levels of Scottish football.

Although, the Rangers manager has said that he would consider letting his talisman leave for no less than £50 million, a fee which could be considered high risk for a forward that is not proven in a major league, who also has a poor disciplinary record.

The Colombian’s high price tag and poor discipline could be factors which deter Newcastle away from the striker and lead the Magpies to opt for a more proven and reliable player.

By Brad Beecham