da brwin： Can Newcastle United immediately bounce back from their Tyne-Wear Derby disappointment?

da heads bet： Thankfully, for Eddie Howe’s bruised outfit, there’s now two home games on the spin in the EFL Cup and Premier League to try and restore some pride, with the Toon picking up an impressive five league victories at St James’ Park already this season.

If they were to overcome Fulham in mid-week, they would also only be one match away from another EFL Cup final, which is – of course – the trophy Howe and Co famously lifted last campaign to triumphantly end their hunt for some honours.

Moving up the top-flight standings is also a pressing matter, with the Magpies currently stuck in a mediocre 12th spot, with the January transfer window surely helping their chances of making a push up the league, to go against Howe’s grumbles after the Stadium of Light defeat.

Newcastle consider move for £22m star

The underperforming Magpies showed in the summer that they’re not afraid to throw cash around, spending a whopping £250m on the likes of Yoane Wissa and Anthony Elanga.

While Elanga struggled once more against Sunderland, Howe and Co will be hoping they can land a gem in the midfield ranks shortly, if new reports are to be believed, linking them with Giovani Lo Celso’s services.

Indeed, reports from Spain suggest that the ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has been on the Tyneside radar for some time, with a move whirring into motion potentially if Newcastle are willing to cough up around £22m for the Argentine, who isn’t in the Real Betis first team consistently anymore.

The report continues that while there is ‘no formal offer yet’, contact has occurred between the two clubs and the interest is genuine.

He has shown off enough glimpses of his quality as an attack-minded midfielder in the likes of La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Premier League, to be considered a target worth exploring, with Howe even potentially winning himself a modern version of former Toon great Yohan Cabaye if a January move were to go through.

How Lo Celso can be the next Cabaye

Much like Lo Celso who had a whirlwind 11-goal contributions under his belt for Paris St Germain before moving to Spurs, Cabaye would only be exposed to Ligue 1 with Lille, before becoming a household Premier League name on Tyneside.

By the end of his impressive stint, the skilful Frenchman would have 18 goals and 12 assists next to his name donning Newcastle black and white, leading to his ex-manager in Alan Pardew hailing him as a “fantastic asset” who always had an “elegance” about him, even as he fought for the spotlight, playing alongside the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa and Demba Ba.

Lo Celso will hope he can arrive back on English shores and be another classy midfield presence, even as faces such as Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade attract more attention, with the £22m-rated midfielder also capable of a moment of magic in attack – like Cabaye – as seen in the effort above being hammered home last year for Betis.

There will also be an expectation that the South American can immediately remove any cobwebs visible from him falling down the pecking order in Spain, and stand out in the Premier League to push the Toon up the standings, with Cabaye’s added presence during his debut season at the club, lifting Pardew’s men to a dizzy fifth position.

Lo Celso’s Spurs numbers

Stat

Lo Celso

Games played

108

Minutes played

5192 mins

Goals

10

Assists

8

Sourced by Transfermarkt

From just nine starts this season for Betis in La Liga, Lo Celso has still managed to collect one goal and two assists, with a mighty 11 goal contributions amassed last campaign, when handed more regular chances.

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Looking at his standout numbers for Spurs, too, shows off a talent ready to dive back into the challenges of the Premier League, with Jose Mourinho – who managed the hit-and-miss 29-year-old once upon a time – lauding him as “phenomenal” when chipping in with ten goals and eight assists overall in North London.

He would also be described as “unbelievable” by journalist Alex Mitton, when irregularly handed first-team minutes.

Capable of lining up as a right midfielder, or as a deep-lying playmaker like Cabaye, this does feel as if it could be a signing that’s an inspired move, with Lo Celso’s £22m price tag arguably a bargain amount to splash, like the Frenchman’s modest £4m fee in 2011.

Newcastle need an injection of freshness after some poor results in recent matches, as Lo Celso aims to be just one spark that pushes them back into European contention.

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2 ByAngus Sinclair