Newcastle United eye £17m move for ex-Arsenal star as ‘top priority’ in January becomes clear

Newcastle United’s priority for the January transfer window has been confirmed. Eddie Howe’s side returned from the international break with an emphatic 4-0 win over Crystal Palace which saw Jacob Murphy, Anthony Gordon, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson all get on the scoresheet.

Summer signing Sandro Tonali was also introduced from the substitutes bench in the last 20 minutes of the game as he remains the subject of an investigation for alleged illegal betting offences . The midfielder faces the possible punishment of a long-term ban from football if found guilty which could leave Newcastle short on midfield numbers during the second half of the season.

Newcastle have been linked with a host of midfielders in recent months including out-of-favour Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips and Spanish prodigy Javi Guerra. Phillips is keen for first team minutes as he aims to get into the England squad for Euro 2024, but it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola will sell the player to another Premier League rival

Meanwhile Guerra is highly rated at Valencia but Newcastle may struggle to hit the youngster price tag while remaining within FFP regulations. An intriguing link which has emerged in recent weeks is a move for Spanish international Dani Ceballos, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes. The 27-year-old midfielder has been on the books at Real Madrid since 2017, although he also enjoyed a two-year loan spell at Arsenal from 2019 until 2021.

Ceballos was fairly successful during his time in North London and made 50 Premier League appearances across two seasons for The Gunners. He has mainly been a backup option in the Spanish capital but enjoyed his best season yet in terms of playing time  last year as he featured in 30 league matches as Real Madrid finished runners-up in La Liga.

However, the arrival of Jude Bellingham has recently pushed Ceballos down the pecking order in the Spanish capital and he has made just three league appearances this term. The midfielder offers vital Champions League experience and is known for his ability to make midfield runs and create chances for his team mates. The 13-time Spanish international could be available for a fee of just £17m. Which would be feasible in terms of value while keeping up with FFP regulations.