UEFA rule change could give Newcastle United January transfer boost as £49m Champions League duo considered

Newcastle United are looking to progress to the last-16 of the Champions League this week as Eddie Howe looks to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window.

The Magpies boss has said he will assess his squad ahead of the window opening next month with several players still yet to return from injury. On Wednesday night, Newcastle host AC Milan in their final Champions League group stage match at St James' Park.

United must beat Milan and hope Paris Saint-Germain drop point at Borussia Dortmund to progress to the knockout stage of the Champions League. A draw would secure progression to the Europa League while a defeat would see Howe's side exit Europe altogether.

Two players who have been linked with moves to Newcastle this January are Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips and 19-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh. Minteh is already a Newcastle player but is currently on loan at Feyenoord until the end of the season.

Howe has said the club would 'certainly look' at the possibility of ending Minteh's loan deal at Feyenoord early but the Dutch champions would have to agree to the move. The Magpies have lacked wide options in recent weeks with Elliot Anderson, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes all out injured.

Minteh has scored three goals and contributed two assists in 16 appearances for Feyenoord this season, including three appearances in the Champions League. Phillips has also played three times in the Champions League this season for Man City.

Phillips is set to leave City in January with Newcastle identifying the England international as a potential January loan target as they consider a short-term replacement for the banned Sandro Tonali.

While FA rules prevent players from playing in the same cup competitions for two different clubs in the same season, a UEFA rule change introduced in 2018 prevented players from being 'cup-tied' in European competitions.

A statement on the UEFA website reads: "The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League knockout hopefuls are allowed to register a maximum of three new eligible players during the winter. Since 2018/19, it no longer matters whether those players have already played in the competition for another club, even for another club still in the competition."

As a result, Newcastle could sign Phillips and/or recall Minteh and have them be eligible to feature in any potential Champions League or Europa League matches they have after the turn of the year. Though Phillips would be ineligible to feature in any potential Carabao Cup matches for his new club having already featured for Man City in the 1-0 defeat against Newcastle at St James' Park back in September.

The last time Newcastle were in Europe during the 2012-13 season, they were unable to play January signings Yoan Gouffran and Mathieu Debuchy in the Europa League as the pair had already featured in the competition for Bordeaux and Lille respectively.

But the UEFA rule change has scrapped that and will allow Newcastle to name up to three new signings in their Champions League or Europa League squad without any 'cup-tied' restrictions. That is, provided they can progress with a result against AC Milan on Wednesday evening.