Howe talks transfers after Schar, Livramento news

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe made it clear the club are working hard to be “ready to act” in the transfer window after Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento suffered long-term injuries.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game with bottom club Wolves, Howe confirmed Schar is facing three months out after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury he suffered in Newcastle’s thrilling 4-3 win over Leeds United.

Full-back Livramento, meanwhile, faces eight weeks out with a hamstring injury he sustained in the FA Cup clash with Bournemouth last Saturday, which Newcastle won on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time.

All options available to Newcastle

While Newcastle are poised to welcome Dan Burn back into the fold in the coming weeks after over a month on the sideline with a punctured lung, the losses of Schar and Livramento leave them very stretched defensively, though midfielder Lewis Miley’s impressive adjustment to playing right-back has eased their worries somewhat.

And, asked if they could make a move in the January transfer window to address their depth at the back, Howe said: “All options are available to us. We’re trying to make the right decisions collectively.

“I think I’ve said so many times here, but there’s a lot to consider. Summer activity, January activity, value for money. The right players being available, so we’ll take all that into account and try and make the right decision.

“Of course we’ve got hopefully Dan coming back, which will be a big boost for us in the not too distant future. But then we have to make a decision with the amount of games that we have to come. What’s the likelihood of us picking up more injuries in those positions? Hopefully that’s not something we have to deal with, but it’s very difficult to predict. I think we have to be ready to act. And I know there’s a lot of work being done in that case.”

Howe: Elanga needs love

Though Newcastle sold former talisman Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a British-record £125million, they also invested heavily in the summer, signing Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, Jacob Ramsey, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa on permanent deals while also bringing in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan.

Thiaw has become an integral part of the Newcastle defence, while club-record signing Woltemade has nine goals and three assists, with only Harvey Barnes and Bruno Guimarães (both 13) registering more goal involvements for the team than his 12.

But £55million signing Elanga has struggled markedly, producing just one assist after recording 11 last season for Nottingham Forest.

Asked about Elanga following an unimpressive showing off the bench in the 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals, Howe said: “It’s a difficult one for him because he comes on very late in the game, he has minimal minutes, he’s just come back from an injury. So he hasn’t trained regularly and of course every time you step on the pitch, you get judged straight away.

“There’s a couple of really nice things. The margins between success and failure for the team and for the individuals are always so small. I think Anthony will be fine, I think he’s an incredible professional. I think my big wish is that he plays an environment where he feels safe and he feels free to express himself.

“I think there’s no denying his ability and the qualities that he can bring to the team. He’ll need a bit of time to find his best form, but I’m confident he’ll get there.

“It’d be my message to sort of every player is that they love and enjoy the players that we have and try and help them find their best form. And that’s the same for everybody.

“We’ve seen players here, even under my tenure that have taken a while to find their best rhythm. You think back to Anthony Gordon, Jolelinton, there’s plenty of examples where it’s just taken a little bit of time.

“We see Anthony every day, we see his qualities. He’s a unique player, there’s not many like him. And he has serious qualities that we need. So let’s bring love to all our players.”

Elanga is likely to be involved against Wolves in some capacity, with Jacob Murphy set to miss out despite scans on a lingering hamstring issue coming back clear. Will Osula, who can play out wide and through the middle, could return from an ankle injury.