Newcastle Transfer News: Dutch winger linked with Magpies loan

Premier League / Michael Lintorn / 26 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Will Eljero Elia trade Juventus' black and white stripes for Newcastle's?

"Elia has made just two substitute appearances and one start in Serie A, with Bianconeri boss Antonio Conte’s lack of squad rotation making it difficult to improve that situation."

There is a lot for Newcastle fans to smile about right now, with Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse returning from Africa earlier than expected and a new loan signing mooted...

January was supposed to be uncomfortable for Newcastle, with top scorer Demba Ba heading off to the African Nations Cup and the rest of the stars responsible for their top-six berth rumoured to be attracting interest from the Premier League's elite.

Yet as deadline day edges closer, Magpies fans will no doubt be reflecting that things have gone far than expected, with nobody leaving and an expensive new forward signed in Ba's Senegalese strike partner Papiss Cisse.

And even better, it looks like the duo will be back in domestic action sooner than anticipated too after Senegal's shock exit from the African Nations Cup, a tournament that they kicked off as third favourites, with a group game to spare.

There could be more good news to come though, with reports emerging that Alan Pardew is keen to complete a loan move for Dutch winger Eljero Elia, who has been warming the bench since joining Juventus from Hamburg in the summer and is consequently worried about his Euro 2012 prospects.

Elia has made just two substitute appearances and one start in Serie A, with Bianconeri boss Antonio Conte's lack of squad rotation making it difficult to improve that situation, especially after missing a rare chance to impress against Roma in the Coppa Italia through injury.

A further blow to his bid to break into the first team, and by extension a boost to Newcastle's hopes of agreeing a deal, came courtesy of a minor spat with Conte last weekend.

The 24-year-old denied his coach's claim that he wasn't included in the squad to face Atalanta due to injury, tweeting that he was "in form", prompting Conte to snipe back that "I will decide who is in form".

If he does follow Cisse to Tyneside then their current odds of [4.2] to finish in the top six are likely to shorten. They are also still going strong in the FA Cup, and are [2.04] to win at Brighton on Saturday.