Newcastle's transfer shortlist after Coutinho snub including Man Utd duo

Newcastle are expected to spend in the January transfer window as Eddie Howe is handed the chequebook by the club's new Saudi-backed owners.

With the club currently stuck in the bottom three, pressure is on Howe to turn their fortunes around, and he will be hoping some fresh faces can give his squad a boost for the back half of the campaign.

One player who will not be joining the revolution at St James' Park in the next few months, however, is Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian is one of the biggest names linked with a switch to Tyneside but reportedly has no intentions of leaving the Nou Camp, despite Barca being keen to move him on and get him off the wage bill.

Nevertheless, there are a number of other elite stars who remain on Newcastle's transfer shortlist.

Who should Newcastle target in January after missing out on Coutinho? Let us know in the comments section.

It seems landing a central midfielder is at the forefront of Howe's thinking, and a raid on Juventus could be his first port of call.

Both Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey are attracting interest from Toon chiefs, according to Italian publication CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness ).

Ramsey has rarely featured under boss Massimiliano Allegri and is apparently deemed surplus to requirements in Turin.

The Welsh star has been tipped for a move back to Arsenal, though it is not clear whether the Gunners are interested in their former player.

Meanwhile, Rabiot has seen more action under Allegri than his teammate, though it is thought Juve would be open to negotiating for the 26-year-old.

Another option on Howe's radar is that of Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek, who continues to be overlooked at Old Trafford.

The Telegraph put Newcastle in the driving seat to snap up the Dutchman in the winter window, though they could face competition from both Everton and Wolves.

Midfielders aside, Howe also seems to be keen on bolstering his goalkeeping department, with two main contenders in the frame.

The club's recruitment team are keeping tabs on the situation of Dean Henderson, who could leave Man Utd on loan as he continues to play second fiddle to David de Gea.

They've turned their attentions to the England hopeful despite making Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen their ideal choice.

Ter Stegen, though, has reportedly rejected an offer from Newcastle already, due to concerns over their 'technical structure' behind the scenes.

Burnley's James Tarkowski has also been heavily linked with a transfer in January as his contract at Turf Moor expires in June.

Howe has already stated that any transfers will be made with the long-term view in mind, not just as a quick fix to keep Newcastle safe from relegation.

He still has some way togo before the January window opens anyhow, with his first fixture in charge set to be against Brentford on Saturday.

Newcastle then travel to Arsenal the following week before hosting Norwich in their final match this month a few days later.