10 Premier League experienced stars on expiring contracts Newcastle could target

Ever since the Saudi-backed takeover of the club was completed, Newcastle have been linked with some mega name stars as they attempt to establish themselves as an elite club. In the short term, however, the Magpies are mired in a relegation battle, without a win from their opening nine games.

The club's recruitment in January will probably be the most highly anticipated in world football given the resources now at Newcastle's disposal, but it promises to be as tricky to navigate as it is vital to their survival. Recruiting players that will stand up and be counted in a relegation battle, but also set the club up for an exciting future will be easier said than done. 

With that in mind, splashing unprecedented transfer fees is unlikely, or certainly unwise midway through a decisive season. Premier League experience will surely be a priority given the speed with which Newcastle will need new signings to adapt, and with contracts running down, there could yet be some deals to be made for a club that will likely be quoted vastly inflated fees should players still have years to run on their existing deals. 

Here we pick out 10 with Premier League experience who, at the time of writing, could become free agents come the end of the season, that Newcastle could consider in order to strengthen a squad lacking quality and depth.  

Sam Johnstone - West Brom 

While Newcastle have three goalkeepers vying for the number one spot at present, persistent injuries have left them short in this area before and in Sam Johnstone, they could get themselves an upgrade. Despite being relegated last season, the West Brom keeper was the standout performer for the Baggies, producing the most saves in the league and earning international recognition as a result. 

James Tarkowski - Burnley 

The most likely addition to the Newcastle ranks come January according to the bookies, links to Tarkowski make for encouraging reading for Toon Army fans. The squad is desperately short of quality at the back and the Burnley man has years of experience in staving off the drop, owing in no small part to the Clarets' defensive resolve in his presence. He's reportedly keen to move and with Nathan Collins a ready made replacement at Turf Moor, this is a deal that should have legs. 

Calum Chambers - Arsenal 

Another player that has experience of a relegation battle, albeit an unsuccessful one at Fulham, Chambers' versatility could be a real asset to a side in Newcastle's position. Right-back is among the weakest of numerous weak spots in their ranks, and at 26 the Arsenal man has room for growth, but needs regular first team football. His season on loan at the Cottagers was a successful one from a personal standpoint and he needs a similar opportunity to reignite his career. 

Jason Denayer - Lyon 

While Denayer endured a difficult season on loan at arch rivals Sunderland some five years ago as a youngster, his development since has seen him become a regular for the Belgian national team. He's also had regular Champions League experience with Lyon in that time and offers a level of composure in possession that Newcastle simply don't have at the back. Indeed, in the last two seasons for club and country his pass accuracy has been in excess of 94 per cent and his physicality makes him a tough defender to get by. 

Jesse Lingard - Manchester United 

Another name high up the apparent wish list in the North East, Lingard made the decision to stay at Manchester United in the summer, but despite some glimpses of the quality he proved on loan at West Ham - scoring nine times in 16 league appearances - the 28-year old is yet to start a league game. He now knows what a successful loan spell can achieve, having propelled him from the abyss back into the international reckoning, and given his designs on a place at the 2022 World Cup, another January move is surely on the cards. 

Todd Cantwell - Norwich 

An injury-hit start to the season for Cantwell has left Norwich staring down the barrel of relegation and the Canaries would surely be loathed to losing their prized at a cut price. They have the option to renew his contract for a further year come the summer, which they would undoubtedly do, but if they want to recoup his real value a January move may be the only way. They resisted offers in the previous window, but with the reality of an immediate return to the Championship already looming, securing a decent fee for the 23-year old should be a priority for a player, who scored six times in his debut Premier League campaign. 

Philippe Coutinho - Barcelona 

Perhaps the one truly big-name signing that has the best chance of happening, a return to the Premier League would surely appeal to the out of favour Coutinho. With just 11 league starts since the beginning of the previous season in LaLiga, he desperately needs a route out of Barcelona and did enjoy a productive loan spell at Bayern, even if he found playing time harder to come by than he would have liked. At his best he's outstanding to watch and while recapturing the form that saw him make the move from Liverpool to Barca is almost unfeasible, his quality on the ball remains undeniable. 

Andrej Kramaric - Hoffenheim 

Given the last signing they made from Hoffenheim, Newcastle may be reluctant to deal with the Bundesliga club again, but perhaps they just signed the wrong striker. Indeed, while Joelinton scored seven Bundesliga goals to somehow justify a £40m price tag, Kramaric bagged 17 in the same season. The Croatian has hit double figures in each of his five full seasons in Germany and reached 20 for the first time last season. He's had a slow start in front of goal this time around, but his link up play is strong, registering six assists in nine appearances, coming a long way from the young forward that was never really given a chance at Leicester. 

Divock Origi - Liverpool 

The fact that Origi has stayed at Liverpool so long and the club have been unwilling to listen to cut price offers is testament to the regard in which he has been held by Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. While never cementing a first team place, he has been a back up capable of scoring some incredibly important goals and in that sense clearly handles pressure well. At 26, he has plenty still to give and while he's not prolific, he is a skillful striker with a strong physical presence that could prove a decent foil for Callum Wilson. 

Eddie Nketiah - Arsenal 

Prolific at youth level for both club and country, while never convincing Mikel Arteta of his worth, Nketiah looks set to leave on a free in the summer, so recouping a fee for a youngster that will no doubt be seeking first team opportunities will appeal to Arsenal. Having dealt with the Londoners successfully for former teammate Joe Willock, Nketiah could be tempted to join his friend at St. James' Park in a bid to prove his top-flight credentials.