Grading Newcastle United's Transfer Targets

With the transfer window in full swing, Newcastle continue to be linked with names as they look to strengthen their side in January.

Many are linking the Magpies with another raid of the French league, while others are predicting a swoop for a striker in the coming weeks.

The following slides assess the names being linked with a move to Tyneside most frequently and discuss their potential impact on a Newcastle side.

Remy Cabella: A

Associated Press

Cabella in action for Montpellier

Probably the biggest name to be linked with Newcastle this month is that of Cabella. The Montpellier attacking midfielder would improve an already impressive Magpies midfield, but there could be plenty of complications ahead.

Montpellier chairman Laurent Nicollin is an interesting character and has revealed that his club and Newcastle have reached an agreement for the summer transfer of Cabella, according to Samuel Stevens of The Independent, so it may not be long before the 23-year-old pulls on the black-and-white shirt.

Cabella is being touted as a possible replacement for Yohan Cabaye, but they differ in terms of playing style. The Montpellier man likes to play further forward than Cabaye—naturally in the role of No. 10—and a big part of his game is his dribbling ability. His pace also allows him to be effective on the wing, so he could slot into Newcastle’s 4-3-3 formation nicely.

Luuk De Jong: B

Jonas Guettler/Associated Press/Associated Press

De Jong is frustrated at Monchengladbach

As Newcastle look for another striker to boost their goalscoring charts, Luuk De Jong’s name has been mentioned by Jason Mellor of the Daily Star. A regular scorer for former club FC Twente, De Jong has struggled since switching to Borussia Monchengladbach and now finds himself way down the pecking order.

His grade is dependent on his form. If Newcastle can get the De Jong who established a reputation as one of Holland’s brightest young talents, then they will have pulled off a fine piece of business. However, if De Jong continues to struggle in front of goal at Tyneside, the move would backfire for Alan Pardew and Co.

Tall, strong and good with the ball at his feet, De Jong has the basic characteristics to recapture his best form in the Premier League; it all depends on whether his mentality matches his ability.

Siem De Jong: B+

Peter Dejong/Associated Press/Associated Press

De Jong is set to leave Ajax in the summer.

Luuk’s older brother Siem has also been linked with a move to Newcastle by the Metro's Jamie Sanderson, after the striker confirmed he will be leaving Ajax in the summer.

The 24-year-old has played for Ajax his whole career and now wants a new challenge, which could be Newcastle.

Not a natural centre-forward, Siem can play in midfield too and likes to create chances as well as finish them off. However, his biggest strength comes from his brain. He is clever and hard to mark and has the brilliant knack of being in the right place at the right time. He could be perfect for Newcastle as they look for more goals from midfield.

He also has a good engine and, as a captain at Ajax, a big character that could benefit Newcastle United.