Newcastle United set to snub Premier League loophole transfers after £57m decision

It's the transfer deadline day you probably weren't aware of.

Thursday, March 28 is the deadline for Newcastle United and Premier League clubs to register free agents or any other players to be part of their squad this season.

Newcastle prepare to return to Premier League action this weekend with several first-team players unavailable.

Injuries and suspensions have taken their toll on Eddie Howe's side this season. They head into the final months of the season with a 23-man squad, of which Joelinton, Callum Wilson, Nick Pope and Sven Botman are all out injured as things stand.

Kieran Trippier and Harvey Barnes are also nursing minor injuries which leaves Howe with just 17 fit and available first-team squad members. Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley have also suffered recent injury blows but aren't included in the squad list due to their age.

Newcastle can name up to 25 players in their Premier League squad but omitted two following the January transfer window. Sandro Tonali was left out as he serves a betting ban which runs until August while Javier Manquillo departed for Celta Vigo.

The free spaces in Newcastle's squad would allow the club to sign and register free agents to be eligible to play in the Premier League. But so far The Magpies have refrained from doing that with the deadline now set to pass.

Premier League rules state that changes to a squad list can be made 'during the period of a Transfer Window; or at other times only with the permission of the Board.'

Premier League clubs are able to register players, including free agent signings, until 5pm on the fourth Thursday in March (March 28). And as long as there are free spaces in a club's 25-man squad, as is the case with Newcastle, any squad changes would likely be accepted by the Premier League's board.

Eddie Howe joked he would be open to signing free agents in his pre-match press conference last month, stating: "If you can give me some names!"

While the free agent market may have been briefly considered internally at St James' Park, there aren't too many options to choose from now we're at the end of March.

Former Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi is one of a few other notable players without a club who have prior Premier League experience, former AFC Bournemouth striker Lys Mousset is also available having previously worked under Howe. The most high-profile free agent is goalkeeper David De Gea, who has previously been linked with a move to Newcastle.

But the club have so far resisted handing out any short-term deals ahead of the deadline to register players and instead look to see out the season with the current 23-man squad.

While the deadline is unlikely to impact Newcastle as such, it could have a big impact on one of the club's contracted players. Midfielder Jeff Hendrick is currently out on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and was left out of the Championship side's 25-man squad following the January transfer window.

His season looked set to be over but Wednesday have not filled the space left by Hendrick's omission, meaning a recall to the squad is set to be confirmed.