Given the sheer amount of change at Newcastle United this summer, Matthias Jaissle will be forgiven for taking time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
The German has been tasked with picking up the mess left behind during the summer transfer window, which saw numerous key members of the squad depart for pastures new.
However, during the closing stages of the same window, he did manage to secure the services of one player who will hope to be the next success story on Tyneside.
How Gonzalez has started life at Newcastle in 2026/27
To soften the blow of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali’s departure from Newcastle, the hierarchy spent a reported £52m to secure the services of midfielder Nico Gonzalez.
The Spaniard, who arrived from Manchester City, was seen as a player to transform the Magpies’ midfield, but it’s safe to say his time on Tyneside has yet to ignite.
He’s featured in three league games since his big-money arrival this summer, but has failed to feature for the entire 90 minutes in any of the aforementioned outings.
During his subsequent outings, Gonzalez has only managed to win 2.6 ground duels per 90 – with such a figure ranking him in the bottom 15% of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.
Such a figure demonstrates his inability to deliver a solid ball-winning presence at the heart of the side – something which has been lacking since the departures of Guimaraes and Tonali.
He’s also been dribbled past a remarkable 3.2 times per 90 during his three league outings, with only one player in the division registering more so far this campaign.
Why Newcastle still need another new midfielder
After clinching the signature of Gonzalez during the summer window, many Newcastle fans would have thought the club had landed a superb replacement to soften the blow of the big-name departures.
However, as seen by his stats, it’s safe to say the Spaniard has struggled to make an immediate impact on Tyneside – leading to fans questioning his long-term suitability.
Whilst the big-money addition still has plenty of time to transform his fortunes, the early signs have been worrying, to say the least, and he’s in desperate need of a run of good form.
Within Jaissle’s midfield, the likes of Sam Steur and Aladji Bamba have also recently made moves to England, but both are certainly seen as more long-term investments for the Magpies.
|
PL mins for Newcastle’s summer arrivals |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
PL mins |
|
Lukáš Horníček |
450 |
|
Amar Dedić |
327 |
|
Sean Steur |
225 |
|
Nico González |
167 |
|
Matías Fernández-Pardo |
159 |
|
Bazoumana Touré |
50 |
|
Aladji Bamba |
27 |
|
Ewen Jaouen |
0 |
As a result, the upcoming January window could see fresh opportunities arise for the hierarchy to improve such a department.
How Newcastle can land a Gonzalez upgrade this January
Despite the winter window not opening for another couple of months, the Newcastle hierarchy have already started to line up a couple of possible additions to improve Jaissle’s squad.
Brighton & Hove Albion star Yasin Ayari has been mooted as a possible transfer target, but Fabian Hurzeler’s men are said to be reluctant to let the Swedish international depart.
Borussia Dortmund are also said to be keen on the youngster, who could be available if an offer in the region of £52m is presented during the upcoming window.
However, he’s not the only target currently in their sights, with Olympique Lyon midfielder Tyler Morton another option currently under strong consideration.
It’s been reported by Football Insider that the Magpies were previously interested in a move for the Englishman back in the summer, but could revisit a move this winter.
Their report also suggests that extensive work has been done to understand what’s needed to secure a deal, which could see the 23-year-old return to the Premier League.
It’s unclear how much a deal for the former Liverpool player would cost in the upcoming window, but his stats from the current campaign showcase why he’s already a class above Gonzalez.
Morton has played five games in Ligue 1 so far this term, but has subsequently managed to complete an impressive 87% of his attempted passes, whilst creating more chances per 90.
Such statistics demonstrate his excellent ability to control the game from deep-lying positions – something which the Spaniard has failed to do during his short time on Tyneside.
However, even without the ball, the Englishman has managed to dominate, as seen by his increased tallies for ground duels won and tackles made per 90 in 2026/27.
The biggest area of dominance for the youngster over the big-money man is his ability to disrupt the play, with Morton only being dribbled past 0.2 times per 90 this campaign.
Such numbers only back up Joe Hart’s comments, with the former goalkeeper dubbing him “Steven Gerrard-esque” for his efforts in the England U21 setup.
No price tag has been mentioned for the possible deal in the months ahead, but his dominance over the new additions should make him a top priority addition this winter.
Such a move would hand Jaissle the top-level talent he craves for success, with Morton able to play a huge role in his attempts to secure success in the near future.