Eddie Howe says why Newcastle United aren't likely to use the loan market this month and it's not for a lack of want
Newcastle United fans have had to endure yet another frustrating transfer window in which they've watched the club sit on their hands and fail to make any meaningful moves.
There's less than a week to go until the window closes and with each tick of the clock, any kind of first-team deal looks increasingly unlikely.
Eddie Howe was asked about the potential of dipping into the loan market this month to at least bring somebody in on a temporary basis.
Newcastle are suffering an injury per game at the moment and could really do with some extra squad depth to see them through the rest of the campaign.
Eddie Howe has all but ruled out a loan move this month
However, Eddie Howe made a good point about the potential of using the loan market to plug a gap when speaking to the media in Paris on Tuesday.
"I think it's very difficult to use the loan market effectively for us. I think I've said many times, there's not too many clubs around the world desperate to help us, due to the fact that we're competitors.
"So I think it's a tough market for us to use effectively. But it's not to say that we wouldn't look at anything if it became available to us."
Ruben Neves has been linked with a loan move once again
We certainly wouldn't want one of our players moving to a rival club on a temporary basis and giving them more power to compete against us, so why should we expect the same from elsewhere?
It doesn't rule out foreign clubs, though, especially those who aren't in the Champions League with us. There are still options out there. Ruben Neves has once again been linked, according to The Chronicle. The former Wolves player is at PIF-owned Al-Hilal, so they aren't a competitor in any sense, but the PIF connection would certainly raise some eyebrows amongst our detractors.
At a certain point, though, we have to stop caring what others think and just do what's right for the club. Neves could be a good addition for the remainder of the season. He has what it takes to unpick tricky defenses which is what we've been missing.
