Newcastle taught painful lessons after January transfer window, with little margin for error left

The “richest club in the world™” had a pretty poor transfer window. Newcastle United’s owners have been on a steep learning curve since the takeover was confirmed in October. January has offered more painful lessons.

The Amanda Staveley-led, Saudi Arabian-backed regime has spent in the region of £90m in an effort to avoid relegation. The five new faces definitely upgrade the team but also throw up a number of questions. Have Newcastle done enough? The next four months will tell.

The month opened with the arrival of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid. He is a significant improvement at right-back. The next player through the door at St James’ Park was Chris Wood. The New Zealander left fellow basement dwellers Burnley and was hailed as a coup because the transaction denies their rivals a striker.

Wood has scored three goals so far this season. He is an admirable and physical front man but there were few tears as he departed Turf Moor – especially when they replaced him with Wout Weghorst. The Dutchman netted six times for Wolfsburg during this campaign and Burnley believe they have made a major upgrade.

The other three recruits came in the late rush. Dan Burn joined from Brighton & Hove Albion and Matt Targett will spend the rest of the season on loan from Aston Villa. Eddie Howe has been concerned about the full-backs since taking the job as manager in November. Trippier and Targett should be a good fit on the flanks. Burn is a strong, if limited, centre back.

The Newcastle defence has been shambolic. Only Norwich City have conceded more in the league. Yet a wholesale revamp of the back line presents a massive challenge for the manager. Howe is not known for his defensive acumen.

The new-look rearguard needs to gel