January is already looking like a difficult month for Newcastle United, who have lost three first-team squad members to African Cup of Nations duty already.
Having started the year off with a dismal loss away at relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers, Rafa Benitez will surely be on the lookout for some January reinforcements in order to consolidate his promotion push.
While the first month of 2017 threatens to be one of the most difficult, the return of their African stars and work in the transfer market can ensure the Magpies have an awful lot to shout about at the end of it.
The team built once this window closes will be the one tasked with ensuring the Magpies get back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, so it’s important they get it right.
With that in mind, here’s the dream end of January XI for Newcastle United under Rafa Benitez.
