Deadline Day: Newcastle and Sunderland braced for dramatic end to January window

Newcastle United and Sunderland are set for a dramatic deadline day as they look to improve their squads as they battle relegation.
Steve McClaren and Sam Allardyce are braced for a dramatic deadline daySteve McClaren and Sam Allardyce are braced for a dramatic deadline day
Steve McClaren and Sam Allardyce are braced for a dramatic deadline day

Reporters Miles Starforth and Chris Young analyse what fans from both clubs can expect ahead of Monday's 11pm deadline.

Miles Starforth: Striker a priority for big-spending Newcastle on deadline day

Steve McClaren wants to sign a strikerSteve McClaren wants to sign a striker
Steve McClaren wants to sign a striker

Newcastle United don't normally do transfer deadline days.

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At least they don't usually do any buying in the last hours of a transfer window.

But maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be different.

The club still needs a striker.

Steve McClaren wants to sign a strikerSteve McClaren wants to sign a striker
Steve McClaren wants to sign a striker

Newcastle's main priority in this month's transfer window was a goalscorer, and a preferably one that's proven in the Premier League.

So far, the club signed Andros Townsend, Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet for close to £30million.

That's £30million more than they spent a year ago.

The club seems to have learnt its lesson.

Back then, United desperately needed a striker. The club, complacently, didn't act, and it only confirmed its Premier League status on the final day of the campaign.

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A summer spend of £50million, after years of under-investment, didn't touch the sides.

And Newcastle are belatedly, and hurriedly, plugging the final holes in Steve McClaren's squad.

So there's still work to be done on deadline day.

A loan deal for AS Roma striker Seydou Doumbia is likely to be confirmed, and the club, which lost out on Guilherme Siqueira, is also looking for a left-back.

Siqueira had been due on Tyneside for a medical yesterday, but the move broke down.

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The Atletico Madrid player is now set to sign for Gary Neville's Valencia.

Another defender would be welcome, but a striking acquisition is essential if Newcastle, 18th in the Premier League and two points adrift of safety, are to stay up.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, signed from Anderlecht last summer, needs help up front.

Maybe inevitably, the club's search for a proven striker has gone into the final couple of days.

They're the hardest, and priciest, deals to do.

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United have bid £21million for West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino, it's No 1 target. What's more, Newcastle are prepared to pay the fee in full.

Berahino's club, however, are reluctant to sell the 22-year-old, who is also interesting Tottenham Hotspur.

West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace could yet be persuaded to sell, but it'll go to the wire, and that's dangerous for a club which can't afford to fail.

More players could follow Florian Thauvin out of the club.

Thauvin yesterday returned to Olympique Marseille on a six-month loan just five months after joining United.

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But, for once, all eyes will be on the entrance door at St James's Park, not the exit.

If United can get Berahino over the line, they'll have done well this month.

You just hope the likes of Shelvey and Townsend haven't arrived too late

Chris Young: Sunderland fans can expect a busy day of transfer activity:

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The smooth passage of Wahbi Khazri to the Stadium of Light has significantly eased the pressure on Sam Allardyce heading into deadline day.

Allardyce was eager to add a spark to his attacking options during the second half of the transfer window and by bringing in Khazri, it removes that element of desperation which can often linger as the cut-off point for fresh blood approaches.

Certainly, had Khazri not arrived then the 'will he, won't he' saga surrounding Andre Ayew would have persisted.

Ayew's name remains on the rumour mill after some less than subtle remarks from his agent, who claimed he was "surprised" that the Ghana international was still at Swansea.

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But Sunderland are not expected to revive their interest in Ayew, even if he will inevitably be one to keep an eye on in the summer.

Khazri was the big money addition of the January window for Sunderland and is the one that Allardyce hopes can be the Black Cats' spark after the £5m investment in Lamine Kone boosted the Black Cats' defensive options earlier last week.

Despite the capture of fifth January signing Khazri though, deadline day is not expected to be graced by the sound of Wearside tumble-weed.

Sunderland remain on the look-out for one - or at a stretch, two - signings before 11pm, with any new arrivals likely to be on loan.

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A right-back is one of Allardyce's remaining priorities, despite the presence of Billy Jones, DeAndre Yedlin and Adam Matthews on the club's books.

It's an area that Sunderland have been keen to strengthen throughout January.

At the end of a window which has seen Sunderland make significant progress in lessening the strain on the wage bill by offloading those considered surplus to requirements, there could be further departures too.

Allardyce has made no secret of his willingness to let Jordi Gomez leave the club after the Spaniard has clearly not been in the first-team picture over the last month.

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Gomez was linked with a move to Serie A earlier in January, yet there has been precious little speculation over the ex-Wigan man over recent weeks.

Summer signing Matthews could also depart, if Sunderland manage to land that elusive right-back before the deadline, albeit the opening of the emergency loan window seven days later offers the Black Cats a further opportunity to shift those in reserve.

But both in and out of the Stadium of Light, deadline day promises an active one.