Transfer insider Dean Jones has criticised Newcastle for their lack of a backup plan following their failure to secure Kalvin Phillips in January.
The former Manchester City midfielder was linked with Newcastle for a long time but the Magpies could not get the deal done, with the player going to West Ham on loan instead.
Newcastle’s urgent need for midfield reinforcements was highlighted by a string of injuries this season, with the latest blow being the side lining of Joelinton for the remainder of the campaign.
However, despite their interest in Phillips, Newcastle failed to bolster their midfield ranks during the January transfer window.
Jones emphasised the significance of Newcastle’s inability to land Phillips, stressing that the club lacked alternative options to strengthen the midfield.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones expressed his surprise at Newcastle’s failure to secure Phillips, especially considering the limited availability of suitable alternatives on loan deals.
He told GiveMeSport:
“This is the problem. I’ve been trying to explore who was the plan B here, who was the backup plan for Newcastle. They missed out on Kalvin Phillips and that was pretty important in terms of their season where they were going to be bolstered up and making sure that they were okay for the second half of the season. Not getting Phillips is quite a big blow because there weren’t any other options available at that level on a loan deal. It’s still part of the reason I’m surprised they didn’t actually just go ahead with it in the end.”