Newcastle United gears up for their Premier League encounter on Saturday, eager to deliver a strong performance following a challenging end to their previous matches.

After experiencing away losses to West Ham and Brentford, the team faces another test with Manchester City visiting St. James’ Park.

Off the field, Newcastle is bustling with activity as they prepare for the January transfer window, highlighted by the appointment of a fresh executive duo, David Hopkinson and Ross Wilson.

What are the odds of Newcastle bringing back Elliot Anderson?

Although it might not be the news Newcastle supporters are hoping for, current indications suggest the likelihood is relatively slim. However, could Eddie Howe and Wilson be interested in pursuing this option?

Yes, absolutely. Howe never wanted to sell Anderson and Wilson was part of the transfer team at Nottingham Forest who bought the midfielder in the summer of 2024, for what was, in effect, just £15million.

The chances of Newcastle re-signing Elliot Anderson are, I’m afraid, fairly low

It would take a fee of almost £100million to sign England international Anderson and that is not where Newcastle are at right now

It would take a fee of around six times that to sign him now – and that is one of two key reasons why I don’t think this move will happen. Newcastle’s transfer record is £69m and, as a club playing balance-sheet catch-up in a PSR world, transfers close to £100m are not where they are at right now.

Secondly, while Anderson’s heart would bring him back to Newcastle in a beat, there is a feeling he will have his pick of clubs at home and abroad come next summer. My instinct is that one of, if not both, the Manchester clubs will make a serious play for him. Don’t be surprised to see interest from Spain, either.

At 23 years old and knowing his next club will be the one where he spends the peak years of his career, an England starter should be challenging for league and European titles. In that respect, Newcastle’s journey might take a little bit longer – that is not a criticism, it’s a reality.

I was on talkSPORT before the England game in Albania on Sunday and host Adrian Durham referred to Anderson as my favourite player (he’s clearly read and listened to what I’ve said about him) and that is why I would love to see him back playing for a club I cover. 

Sadly, despite there being a chance, I would expect his destination post-Forest to be elsewhere.

When will Yoane Wissa be fit?

It won’t be against Manchester City this weekend and, as I reported in our last Newcastle Confidential column, early December was my information. If so, that rules him out of at least the next three – City on Saturday, Marseille on Tuesday and Everton next weekend.

The latest I’m told is that he is ‘very close’ – but when that is on the back of an 11-week absence, such language is open to interpretation. The important thing for Wissa and Newcastle is that he is working towards a comeback and there have been no setbacks with regards his knee over the international break. 

The club want him to be ready to make an impact when he does return, rather than be introduced for a few minutes here and there over a period of weeks and be susceptible to further injury. My feeling on this for a while now has been that Wissa will not be seen until December.

Newcastle want Yoane Wissa to be ready to make an impact when he returns and my feeling on this for a while now has been that he will not be seen until December

Will Wissa go to AFCON?

I’d be surprised if he did. What was good news for Newcastle this week was DR Congo setting up a World Cup play-off in March.

Newcastle and Wissa can argue, with some justification, that him staying and playing on Tyneside will probably leave him in better shape for the play-off, which will be against either Jamaica or New Caledonia and give DR Congo the chance to qualify for their first World Cup since 1974.

Is Eddie Howe under pressure, with the team 14th in the table?

No, and nor should he be. Howe has to find a way out of the current away-day malaise that threatens to undermine the season, but there is also an understanding that the summer was far from ideal preparation (on and off the pitch) and maybe we’re seeing the hangover of that now. 

Even so, Howe won’t want that offered as an excuse and it’s on him and his players to respond to those back-to-back league defeats at West Ham and Brentford this weekend.

Eddie Howe’s job is not under threat and nor should it be – but he has to find a way out of the current away-day malaise

What do you expect Howe to do when Dan Burn is back from suspension?

If Lewis Hall is ready to start by then, which he should be, then Howe has two options – go to three centre halves to accommodate Burn and Sven Botman alongside Malick Thiaw, or make a decision on which of Burn or Botman starts with Thiaw. I don’t think we’ll see Burn at left back.

In his defence, even though his last two Premier League performances weren’t great, he performed very well at left back before that. And his form at centre back at the start of the season was probably the best of his career. So I feel for Burn and, ideally for him, he returns to centre back in a back four, the role which has suited him best.

What will Howe do? I think, in the short term, we’ll see Burn and Botman rotated at left-sided centre back – and may the best man win the role for the big games!

Is the stadium announcement on permanent hold?

Well, the planned announcement date in ‘early 2025’ has come and gone and there won’t be one in late 2025 either.

My understanding earlier this year, following the high-level summit including Yasir Al-Rumayyan at Matfen Hall, was that all roads led to building a new stadium on Leazes Park, with a video presentation of how it would look shown to club staff and stakeholders.

But PIF have yet to sanction that move and, as such, it means a formal decision has yet to be made. There is, I’m told, a lot of work going on in the background, but to answer the question, there has been no fresh indication of when an announcement will be. I expect word on a new training ground to come before then, and that will likely be in 2026.

There’s been a lot of talk of Newcastle being active in the Netherlands and Belgium with regards recruitment – anything in that?

Yes, I can confirm that Newcastle have watched Joel Ordonez of Club Bruges. The Ecuador centre back, 21, is liked by a host of Premier League clubs and it is thought his next move will be to these shores. However, as it stands with Newcastle, there is nothing active on that front, beyond scouts taking a close look.

There is more of a live interest in AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, as Daily Mail Sport reported last week. And, while there is competition for the 19-year-old from home and abroad, I get the feeling there is hope that a package (financial and development) could be presented that would appeal to Smit. It’s thought AZ want between £20-25m for the Netherlands Under 21s star.

Newcastle have watched Joel Ordonez of Club Bruges. The Ecuador centre back, 21, is liked by a host of Premier League clubs

But there is a more live interest in AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, as reported by Daily Mail Sport last week

And what about South America?

I’ve noted a lot of talk around Rayan Vitor, the 19-year-old Brazilian who plays for Vasco da Gama. However, this is being driven by agents attempting to get Rayan a move to the Premier League.

Newcastle are aware of him and have been contacted by several agents, but that’s as far as it’s gone at present.

Will Anthony Gordon be the England starter at left wing under Thomas Tuchel?

He’s in a three-way battle with Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze and, if you’d asked me two weeks ago, I would have said Gordon was in pole. 

He still might be and I know Tuchel loves how he makes England play on the front foot (like he does for Newcastle at his best) but both Rashford and Eze did well against Serbia and Albania (I was at both games) and a lot now will depend on club form and performances in the March internationals. 

My information is that Anthony Gordon should be fit for the Manchester City game on Saturday. If so, that’s a huge boost for Newcastle

And finally, will Gordon be fit this weekend?

Howe says 50-50, but my information earlier in the international break was that Gordon should be fit for the game. If so, that’s a huge boost for Newcastle, because this is the type of fixture against top opposition when Gordon produces his best. 

The challenge for him – and the team – is to find that level of form every week in the Premier League. 

I know some have questioned my support of Gordon in recent weeks – and I understand why – but I do believe Newcastle have the best chance of being the team they want to be with him in it.