Back to back defeats have put Newcastle United in a spot of bother in their comeback season to top-flight football. The Magpies were looking decent this season as they kept themselves in the hunt for a spot in the top ten but the recent dip in their form in the last couple of matches have left them stuttering and Rafa Benitez now has to be very cautious with his approach.
A Steve Cook winner in the final minutes of the stoppage time gave Bournemouth some breathing space, as the Cherries lifted themselves out of the relegation zone at the expense of Newcastle in their last encounter. Benitez failed to get his hand on a number of his transfer targets in summer and in the January transfer window, he might renew his interest.
According to reports, the Magpies are currently interested in Lewis Holtby, plying his trade at Hamburg. The attacker is having very limited game time this season, starting only four games in the Bundesliga. Given the current situation, Newcastle are in need of a playmaker and the former Tottenham Hotspur winger might be a good fit for their side.
The 27-year-old is well aware of the pros and cons of the Premier League given the time he has spent at White Hart Lane and might not take much time in adjusting to life if he does arrive at St James Park. The Magpies are lacking experience in the attacking third and Holtby could be a very good option to fix that.
Added to that, the 27-year-old can also be stationed in the middle of the pitch and in a two-man midfield, he can certainly have a better prospect ahead of Jonjo Shelvey.
Mikel Merino has been a sensation at the Tyneside club since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in the summer and Holtby can work out a formidable partnership with the Spaniard in the middle of the pitch.
An offer in the range of £5m should be enough to bring Holtby to St James Park who is not the preferred choice at Hamburg anymore. He was also dropped for the game against Stuttgart and might need to find a new club in a bid to revive his career.
Born and brought up in Germany, Holtby debuted for Germany in the midfield back in 2010 but since then hasn’t made any more appearances for his country. The left-footed player can definitely bring a touch of class to the Newcastle side and can help the Tyneside club to come out with more energy on the pitch.
