What could Newcastle United's winter transfer window look like?

This is the moment Newcastle United's new owners have been waiting for - a transfer window. It's a transfer window to reinforce the squad, get new players in, send out the deadwood and keep their hopes of staying up in the Premier League alive.

Of course, that's easier said than done. The club has been linked to several high-profile names, and how many of them materialize is anyone's guess.

However, with the state Newcastle are in and with the World Cup 2022 just around the horizon, many players will be cautious about playing in the Championship should the Magpies go down.

Let's dig right in to see what the 2022 winter transfer window has in store for Newcastle United.

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1) What's the priority for Newcastle?

Looking at Newcastle's defense, their top priority would be strengthening their defense. The Magpies have already conceded 42 goals, more than the bottom-most-club in the Premier League table - Norwich.

Tripper is on the very top of the wish list.

Kieran Trippier is the name that stands out. The Atletico Madrid player is out of contract at the end of the season and is keen to return to the Premier League. However, it won't be a straightforward deal.

For starters, Manchester United are also interested in the full-back. Trippier also has a clause to extend his contract by 12 months should he play the required number of games.

Sven Botman, Matthias Ginter and Jason Denayer are also high on the wish list. However, Newcastle are aware of the complications of attracting players of such caliber to the club.

Hence Joe Rodon of Tottenham Hotspur and Mason Holgate of Everton are also being looked at given their lack of minutes at their respective clubs.

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2) Strikers on the radar

With recent injuries to Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson, Newcastle could also be forced to look for players upfront. Depending on how bad the injury is to their two most important players, a game plan would then come into play.

Their injury is a cause of concern for Howe.

Newcastle have scored just 19 goals this season, and more than half of them have been scored by the above-mentioned players - four and six, respectively.

The club might have looked for some cover upfront, even before their injuries. But that could change should these players be out for months.

Zenit St. Petersburg's Sardar Azmoun is on the radar alongside Blackburn's Ben Brereton Diaz. He is currently the second-top goalscorer in the Championship with 19 goals.

3) Will Newcastle make a high-profile player signing?

#AnnounceMbappe was trending on Twitter

Ever since the Saudi Arabia takeover happened, social media has been full of hashtags like #AnnounceMbappe. There has been a feeling amongst the fan base that a big player is right on the horizon to join the club. However, that's not the case.

Let's be realistic. Newcastle owners know their reach and limitations. They might be the richest owners in the Premier League but signing players at a "premium" price and keeping them on inflated salaries at the club is a strict no-no.

The last thing Newcastle need is to become a "retirement home"/ "one big final payday" club.

So no, the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are not moving to Tyneside next month. Sorry to break that bubble.

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4) What is Newcastle's plan?

How does Newcastle approach this transfer window?

This could be a critical transfer window as far as Newcastle are concerned. How they approach it is a rather difficult question to answer. They don't just need players for their big project to win the Premier League and compete for other trophies. They also need players for the short-term, most notably to get them out of this current mess.

The club needs to try to balance its short-term needs and long-term vision. They might need to gamble on some players and hope it pays off.

Also, not having a Director of Football at the club complicates things. The club is looking for the right person, but the January transfer window has come too soon. This means head coach Eddie Howe has a big say in the recruitment policy. Former Reading and Celtic director of football Nick Hammond has been hired temporarily.

If these complications are not enough, there are also talks about whether other Premier League clubs would conduct business with the Saudi-backed club. But it's one thing to say and another to act on it. If these clubs have a surplus of players and if Newcastle are willing to pay a "premium," then deals might just happen.