Newcastle United's 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton dominated the headlines on Deadline Day - but as the dust begins to settle following the January transfer window, how is Eddie Howe's squad looking ahead of a crucial few months?
Even the boss admits he is light in certain areas after the late departure of Jonjo Shelvey this week. The midfielder pushed for a move to Nottingham Forest in recent days and Howe was in no mood to fight him despite his admiration for the 30-year-old.
“You have to look at things from a position of everybody’s needs and wants," the Newcastle boss said just moments before the deadline. "We’re maybe light in a couple of areas, but we do have a lot of quality within the squad.”
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The majority of supporters on Tyneside believe bringing in another central midfielder would have represented a very good month on the transfer front. Now, the Magpies are potentially just one injury away from having to drastically change the team Howe has placed his full trust in of late.
Bruno Guimaraes' three-game suspension means Howe is likely to bring Joelinton back into midfield, with Allan Saint-Maximin expected to finally return to the team from the outset. The Frenchman has been out of the side of late after overcoming recent injury struggles.
Saint-Maximin also attracted attention during January, with AC Milan heavily linked with a late move for the wide man. Howe was unequivocal as he shut down the rumours and refused to sanction an exit. "He's here to stay. He's an integral part of my team" was the official line.
The summer could be a different proposition for Saint-Maximin. Once the go-to man on Tyneside, he must now grasp the chance to return to Howe's plan between now and the end of the season as questions remain on his long-term future.
His future is complicated somewhat by the arrival of Anthony Gordon last week. The former Everton flyer, 21, was Newcastle's first of two January deals as he finally got his desired Goodison Park exit.
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Gordon was in attendance during the second leg victory over Southampton as he witnessed an electric St James' Park atmosphere during his first visit as a Newcastle player. The youngster can make his debut on Saturday against West Ham and is expected to offer competition with Saint-Maximin between now and the end of the season.
Gordon was flanked by fellow January arrival Harrison Ashby on Tuesday, with both players emerging onto the hallowed SJP turf before kick-off against Southampton. The right-back, 21, has dreams of one day replacing Kieran Trippier at Newcastle and may get a chance to impress sooner rather than later with Javier Manquillo facing a spell on the sidelines through injury.
Emil Krafth may also be looking over his shoulder in that area of the pitch as he continues to step up his injury recovery. The Swede is on the mend and has responded well to rehab but may not play for Newcastle between now and the end of the season.
In terms of fringe players, there are a number who remained in the north east despite speculation linking them with a move elsewhere. Ryan Fraser had attracted interest all month but no firms bid were launched for his services despite very late links with Everton and Hull City.
Fraser's exit was expected by many following his recent exodus, despite the fact he is not currently plagued by injuries. "No, he's not injured. He just needs to keep training hard," Howe told reporters last week. "He's a valued member of the squad."
There was talk of Jamal Lewis leaving on loan, while fellow left-back Paul Dummett faces a tough task to get back into the fold ahead of Dan Burn and Matt Targett. Versatile Matt Ritchie was linked with a return to former club Portsmouth too.
The summer promises to be exciting for Newcastle after keeping their powder relatively dry this month Let's hope Howe's worry over being light in areas doesn't haunt the Magpies between now and May.
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