Newcastle ‘want four Arsenal players’ in January raid

Newcastle United are interested in signing four Arsenal players in the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Magpies have wasted little time in getting their winter business underway, with the signing of Kieran Trippier imminent.

They are expected to spend heavily this month as they aim to avoid the dreaded drop back down to the Championship.

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And according to the Telegraph (via the Mirror), relegation-threatened Newcastle are keen on signing four Arsenal players.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – who has been linked with a move to the north east in recent weeks – is the most high profile player taking the interest of the Geordies.

The Gabon striker was recently stripped of the Gunners captaincy and the north Londoners are reportedly listening to offers for the 32-year-old.

Eddie Nketiah has also caught the eye of Eddie Howe. The young striker is out of contract in the summer but Newcastle will likely pay to sign the player this month, as opposed to waiting until the end of the season.

As well as Nketiah and Aubameyang, the Magpies are interested in signing defender Rob Holding and midfielder Mohamed Elneny.

Holding is currently behind Ben White and Gabriel in the pecking order at the Emirates, with young centre-back William Saliba returning to Arsenal in the summer.

Elneny has struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta and could be open to a move. He is currently with the Egypt national team for the Africa Cup of Nations.

With Ainsley Maitland-Niles set for a loan move to Roma, it is unclear if Arteta will allow Elneny to leave with their midfield options limited.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are ready to go head-to-head with Bayern Munich in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter, according to reports.

This is according to Inter Live, who claim that Ginter is the latest man on their January wishlist as they compete with Bayern for his signature.

Inter Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona have also been linked with Ginter but the report reckons it will be Newcastle to ‘challenge’ the Bavarians for the Germany international.

Bayern are ‘very serious’ about Ginter but the Premier League side now have the ‘economic strength to tempt’ the centre-back into a move to Tyneside.