Newcastle United Transfers: 8 Players Benitez Must Sign This Summer
Goalkeepers, strikers, and everything in-between: the Magpies' shopping list is a long one.
Newcastle United have had a quiet transfer window thus far. Former loanee Christian Atsu become the club's first major acquisition on May 24th, and Eibar centre-back Florian Lejeune joined him earlier this week, signing for the Magpies in an £8.5 million deal.
A solid start, but with other Premier League clubs currently throwing their money around with reckless abandon, Newcastle have some catching up to do. They're bringing a decent squad up from the Championship, but there are a number of notable holes in the first XI, and depth issues throughout the group.
NUFC require several big signings to put their fans at ease ahead of a difficult campaign, but there's no need to panic just yet. The club's transfer business didn't really pick up until mid-July last year, and while Mike Ashley's reluctance to splash the cash is well known, there is still five weeks before kick-off.
Rafa Benitez might be frustrated with the lack of activity thus far, but he still has time to address the squad's shortcomings. Let's take a look at the players he should be targeting to ensure Premier League survival.
8. Lewis Holtby
Lewis Holtby looked set to become a major Premier League star when Tottenham Hotspur signed him in 2013, but it didn't work out. The former German international struggled to make the grade at White Hart Lane, and was loaned to Fulham in 2014, where coach Felix Magath questioned his fighting spirit in their unsuccessful relegation battle.
He returned to the Bundesliga with Hamburg for the 2014-15 campaign, and has been there ever since. Last season saw him start 29 games for the sleeping giants, and Holtby has recently been linked with a Premier League return, with Bournemouth seemingly set to rival Newcastle for his signature.
Given that he's reportedly available for his £5 million, Holtby would be a smart pick-up for the Magpies. He's by no means prolific, but Newcastle are desperately short of creativity in the middle when Jonjo Shelvey is out. Holtby is just as capable playing behind the striker as he is operating in a deeper role, making him a versatile squad rotation option for Rafa Benitez, who'll be looking to acquire at least one or two creators this summer.