'£0 spent,' 'stunning deadline day', 'smart signing', 'quantity over quality’: How Newcastle United's transfer window compares to relegation rivals Norwich City, Burnley, Watford and Everton

The Magpies spent around £90million on new signings with Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn signing permanent deals and Matt Targett joining on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season.

In terms of outgoings, several players left on loan. Jeff Hendrick, Freddie Woodman, Elliot Anderson and Matty Longstaff all secured temporary moves on deadline day.

With five new incomings and no real outgoings, it’s the first transfer window in years where Newcastle’s squad is in a considerably stronger position than when the transfer window opened. Spending more money than any other club in the world in January may have had something to do with that.

But will it be enough to keep them in the Premier League?

Only time will tell and Newcastle currently sit a point from safety with a game in hand on 17th placed Norwich City. Watford are 19th, a point behind The Magpies but with a game in hand meanwhile Burnley sit bottom, three points behind but with three games in hand.

Survival for Newcastle this season will be about coming out on top of this four team mini-league that has been cut adrift at the bottom of the division.

Everton are threatening to make it a five horse race after slipping down the table. The Toffees are in the worst form in the division having won one of their last 14 league matches.

They currently sit four points above the relegation zone but they could be pulled into it should they lose against Newcastle at St James’s Park next Tuesday (7:45pm kick-off).

The on pitch results are all that matters in the relegation battle but all five clubs experienced unique transfer windows of their own.

Burnley

Burnley were cheekily pulled into doing transfer business by Newcastle after The Magpies activated Chris Wood’s £25million release clause, leaving them short on bodies up front.

Losing their all-time leading scorer in the Premier League left big shoes to fill at Turf Moor while also strengthening a direct relegation rival in the process.

But Sean Dyche’s side reinvested the Wood money just before the end of the window as they secured the signing of Dutch international striker Wout Weghorst for £12million from Wolfsburg.

On paper it certainly looks like Burnley are getting a good deal despite losing Wood as they've been able to reinvest it in a player who is a year younger and has scored 59 goals in 118 Bundesliga appearances while also pocketing £13million in change.

Whether Burnley or Newcastle got the better deal depends on which side remains in the Premier League.

Watford

The Hornets made more signings than Newcastle in the January window with six, but it seems to be a case of quantity over quality.

New manager Roy Hodgson arrived late into the window once Watford’s transfer business was already effectively complete.

Their most expensive signing was goalkeeper Maduka Okoye from Sparta Rotterdam for £5.1million but that signing will be of no use to them in the relegation battle as he will remain on loan in the Netherlands for the remainder of the season.

Midfielder Edo Kayembe signed from KAS Eupen and defender Hassane Kamara joined from Nice – both for £4million. Winger Samuel Kalu also arrived from Bordeaux for £3million.

Yaser Asprilla, who claims he is going to be better than his Newcastle legend namesake Tino, joined from Envigado for £1million. In addition, Brazilian defender Samir joined from Udinese.

Watford may well find some diamonds in the rough of their transfer business and have strengthened in some key areas. But the distinct lack of Premier League experience from their new signings could prove tricky in a relegation battle.

Norwich City

The only side in the bottom five who have ended the window in an arguably weaker position than what they started.

Norwich moved out of the bottom three for the first time all season following their win over Watford. But they remain under serious threat of relegation and no January signings hasn’t helped their cause.

Newcastle target Todd Cantwell left the club as expected, joining Championship side AFC Bournemouth on loan.

Striker Jordan Hugill was also loaned out to Cardiff City after returning from a temporary stay at West Bromwich Albion.

Overall, a quiet window for The Canaries, who have put a lot of faith into the players already at the club.

Everton

Everton were arguably Newcastle’s closest rival when it came to January business in the Premier League by the time the window slammed shut.

A stunning deadline day saw Frank Lampard arrive as the club's new manager which was quickly followed by the loan signing of Donny van de Beek from Manchester United and attacking-midfielder Dele Alli from Tottenham Hotspur on an initial free transfer that could raise to £40million depending on performances.

Earlier in the window they secured Ukraine defender Vitalii Mykolenko from Dynamo Kyiv for £17.6million and Nathan Patterson from Rangers for £12million.

But unlike The Magpies, Everton also had a notable outgoing with left-back Lucas Digne joining Aston Villa for £23million and Anwar El Ghazi heading in the opposite direction on loan.

The quality of Everton’s signings should be enough to steer them away from relegation trouble. But a defeat at Newcastle next week could make it a nervy second half to the season for Lampard and his side.

Verdict

On paper, Newcastle’s squad has improved the most of any of their relegation rivals during the January window. The lack of attacking reinforcements to add to Wood’s arrival could come back to haunt them but they have certainly boosted their chances of survival more than any other side in the bottom five.

You’d like to think it’s enough to keep them in the top flight, but even if they had spent another £90million, there are no guarantees.

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