Newcastle makes Eddie Howe decision before Liverpool as Man United races for $111m transfer

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Liverpool and Manchester United are among the sides chasing a $111m defender at Benfica while Newcastle has made an Eddie Howe decision before heading to Anfield.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has not had a good season, and heads to Liverpool next. (Image: Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Liverpool can be very content with where it stands in the Premier League table heading into 2024. Were it not for the calamitous VAR error that occurred against Spurs or some poor finishing against Luton, Jürgen Klopp’s side could be even more handily placed.

Arsenal and Manchester City are likely to push Liverpool all the way at the top but there is no reason to believe that the Reds cannot continue this run and challenge for the title. They might be ahead of schedule in terms of Liverpool 2.0 but no side is perfect at the moment and everyone appears to be prone to dropping points.

There is a lot more to come, too, from certain players. We are yet to see the best of Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez, and Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have more gears to click into as well. Liverpool can still improve but was leading the way at the halfway mark.

Up next is a visit from Newcastle United, in the middle of a poor run from the North East outfit. And of course, tomorrow marks the first day of the January transfer window — a period that could define the title race if a top player is signed.

Here, Liverpool.com takes a scan around the other big sides in the Premier League and around Europe to take a look at the news going on at the other clubs. We start with the latest developments at Newcastle.

Newcastle makes Eddie Howe decision

The hierarchy at Newcastle United has assured Eddie Howe that his future is not under threat despite a dire run of form this season. According to the Daily Mirror, Amanda Staveley has told Howe that his position is still safe before facing Liverpool.

Injuries are to some extent a mitigating factor for Newcastle and the Magpies board has supposedly taking that into consideration. But every side has injury problems, including Liverpool, and that does not fully explain the terrible form. Newcastle has already lost eight Premier League matches this season.

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Liverpool.com says: Jürgen Klopp expressed sympathy for Newcastle’s injuries during his pre-match press conference but the absences do not tell the full story. Some of the players coming into the side have been $87m (£68m/€78m) duo Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, while $51m (£40m/€46m) Joelinton is expected to be able to start at Anfield. Even the second-choice goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka has played over 100 games for Newcastle, so is hardly a bad back-up option.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid want $111m transfer

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has insisted that 20-year-old wonderkid António Silva will be going nowhere in January, but the center-back does have a release clause worth $111m (£87m/€100m) written into his contract. Liverpool needs a defender.

As well as the Reds, 90Min has reported that Manchester United has scouted Silva, while Real Madrid could be in the market for a replacement for the injured David Alaba. Nineteen-year-old midfielder João Neves is supposedly being eyed by the same trio.

“I talk to them every day, all of them,” Schmidt said during a press conference. “We’re in the middle of the season, we have big goals with Benfica. Of course we’re not going to let these players leave, we need them and they don’t want to leave. There’s no question about that.”

Liverpool.com says: Signing a defender in January could make a big difference for Liverpool but spending $111m seems a little on the high side. The same player might well be available for a more realistic fee in the summer when it would suit Benfica more to sanction a sale and cash in on its latest young prodigy.