Amidst an injury crisis at the club, Newcastle United's midfield looks bare, with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali out with an injury and a suspension, while academy product Elliot Anderson is set to be absent for the remainder of the year.

Significant injuries within the squad have impacted the Magpies' performances on the pitch, with Eddie Howe's side picking up just two victories from their previous six games in all competitions.

Head coach Howe has already begun the process of looking for quality players to bolster his midfield department this January and could even make a move for an England international

Newcastle's plan to strengthen the midfield

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Geordie club are keen to bring Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves back to English football, having signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal during the summer after six years with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, the Italian transfer expert has also revealed that Newcastle are keeping tabs on Kalvin Phillips' situation at Manchester City.

It has previously been reported that any deal for Neves would be a loan until the summer but a transfer between the two clubs is increasingly unlikely as Premier League sides have rushed to vote on a ban on multi-club loans, preventing the Magpies from completing any deals with the four teams in Saudi Arabia in which the PIF holds a 75% stake.

With a deal for Neves unlikely to come to fruition, Newcastle could make a move for Manchester City's Phillips, who was once described by former Crystal Palace and Everton winger Yannick Bolasia as a "monster" for England during EURO 2020 when Gareth Southgate's men reached the final of the competition.

How Kalvin Phillips compares to Ruben Neves

Phillips was a star at Leeds United under legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa before earning a £42m move to Premier League champions Man City in 2022. Despite winning a treble in his debut season at the Etihad Stadium, Phillips' game-time has been massively diminished, with the Englishman making merely 29 appearances in all competitions at City, including 16 in the top flight.

This season, the Leeds-born midfielder has featured just four times in the league under Pep Guardiola and the Catalan coach has publicly admitted that the door will be left open for Phillips to leave if the right offer comes in, paving the way for Newcastle to sign him.

Despite his limited game-time over the past calendar year, Phillips is still in the top 2% for passes attempted per 90 compared to others in his position across Europe's top-five leagues, according to FBref.

Furthermore, the 27-year-old is in the top 4% for shots per 90 and the top 4% for clearances per 90, proving his box-to-box presence for City. Additionally, Phillips outperformed Ruben Neves in a number of key metrics last season when both men were plying their trade in the Premier League.

Progressive Passes

7.33

6.51

Pass Completion

90.4%

82.1

Passes to Final Third

10

6.03

Expected Assists

0.07

0.04

Progressive Carries

4.67

0.84

Dispossessed

2

0.39

Tackles Won

1.2

1.24

Stats via FBref

Both players have strengths and weaknesses but Phillips' stats are still quite impressive despite his lack of minutes on the pitch.

The midfielder is hungry to explode and show the quality he possessed at Leeds, so Howe could be making a smart acquisition by bringing the European champion to St. James' Park.