Brandon Williams a target as Newcastle look to loan market in January

29 December 2020 07:45

Newcastle continue to keep an eye on Manchester United full-back Brandon Williams as loan signings may be the best options for the Magpies in the January transfer window.

Newcastle invested £35m in first-team signings Callum Wilson and Jamal Lewis over the summer, but the club is expected to save up funds until the end of the season instead of spending now.

Steve Bruce would like Everton's or Aston Villa's budgets | Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

Manager Steve Bruce has lamented that Newcastle are not in the same financial position as clubs like Everton and Aston Villa. The latter spent in excess of £70m in summer on players like Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez and Matty Cash and have shot up the league table.

“I can understand the frustration but we are where we are,” Bruce is quoted as saying by The Guardian.

“We’d all love to have what Everton have been able to do over the last two or three years and certainly, since I left Aston Villa, the spending power that has propelled them up the league. We’d like to be able to do that, but unfortunately we are where we are at this particular moment.”

The Chronicle writes that while a mid-season budget could be made available, it is more likely that the club will be looking to the loan market rather than for permanent deals.

Newcastle will have a bigger summer budget if they don't spend now | Robin Jones/Getty Images

As it stands, Newcastle are seven points clear of the relegation zone and the feeling within the club is that the current squad is capable enough without major additions, which means unspent January money could be used to boost next summer’s budget instead.

Interest in Williams has been rumoured since early December and it is once more reiterated in the Chronicle’s report that the 20-year-old features on a list of possible loan targets.

Williams has endured a challenging second season in the Manchester United first-team and has seen competition for places at left-back increase significantly following the arrival of Alex Telles in October. He is versatile enough that he can also play on the right, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an automatic starter when fit and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has shown in the last two games that he is willing to use centre-backs in that role if he needs to.

Williams has struggled for game time in 2020/21 | Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images

It has previously been reported that the Old Trafford club are not looking to sell Williams amid gossip that Bayer Leverkusen are interested in a permanent deal, so a loan could be more appealing.

Southampton are another club heavily linked with Williams.


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Source: 90min