The 2023/24 season has been a tough one for Newcastle United. Eddie Howe’s side have not quite lived up to expectations in the Premier League, and currently sit sixth in the table, 13 points off a top-four spot.
In the Champions League, the Magpies crashed out of the group stages in devastating fashion, finishing fourth in a tough group which consisted of AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.
Under Howe, the squad has come on leaps and bounds. The pinnacle of the Englishman’s time in charge was when Newcastle reached the Carabao Cup final in 2022/23, although they did go on to lose the game against Manchester United.
This season, Howe’s side have been completely ravaged by injuries. They currently have nine first-team players out injured, with three of those players midfielders, namely Joelinton, Lewis Miley and Joe Willock.
This has led to Newcastle being linked with several midfield targets over the past few months. However, there is one name in particular who the Magpies are strongly linked with, and a move could come about this summer.
Newcastle's midfield transfer plans
According to Chronicle Live’s Chief Newcastle Writer Lee Ryder, the Tynesiders sent scouts to Stamford Bridge recently to watch Chelsea midfielder, Conor Gallagher. The 24-year-old’s current deal at Chelsea expires in 2025, and there is no current indication that he will sign a new contract with the Blues.
According to CIES Football Observatory, Gallagher is currently valued at £69m, a sizeable fee. However, it could well be the case that Newcastle could get the midfielder for less, considering his contract expires in a year.
Gallagher has been a key player under Mauricio Pochettino this season. The 24-year-old has played 43 games in all competitions, scoring five goals and registering eight assists along the way.
In signing the one-time Crystal Palace loanee, Newcastle would be recruiting a wonderful engine in the centre of midfield. In possession, he is a creative player and is an underrated final third player. Gallagher averages 1.48 key passes per 90 minutes, as per Fbref, which places him in the top 21%.
Off the ball, Gallagher is a diligent presser who works hard out of possession. This is proven by his 0.51 final third tackles, which place him in the top 5%, and 3.81 tackles and interceptions he makes, placing him in the top 19% among midfielders in Europe.
However, if Gallagher is seemingly unattainable for Newcastle this summer – or if the club wish to utilise their funds elsewhere – they may well have an alternative option, whom they brought in last summer.
Newcastle’s perfect Gallagher alternative
The player in question here is 18-year-old Travis Hernes, who joined Newcastle from Shrewsbury on 1 September last year for an undisclosed fee.
Hernes is a highly-rated youngster, who was described by his former academy manager Charlie Musselwhite in an interview with Chronicle Live as “elegant on the ball and quality in possession” before he explained Hernes is “best as a box-to-box”.
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Hernes has already played professional football; he made his first-team debut for Shrewsbury against Wolves under-21s, who are his former academy side, in which he played 23 minutes and made a good impact, scoring Shrewsbury’s only goal of a 2-1 defeat.
In total, Hernes has played six first-team games but has spent the majority of this season playing youth football for Newcastle, where he has scored three goals and registered three assists.
Perhaps there is a scenario where Hernes gets an opportunity in the Newcastle first team in the near future. Whether or not they sign Gallagher, he could well be a good option for Howe as he continues his development, and there is every chance the Magpies could look to bed him into the first-team fold at St James’ Park.
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ByEthan LambApr 18, 2024