Eddie Howe has admitted that finding the right player in January 'almost becomes redundant' if Newcastle United are unable to be active in the market.

Newcastle have held very loose discussions ahead of the window opening and the club's recruitment team are doing 'a lot of work in preparation for potential opportunities that may arise'. However, Newcastle are wary of making a decision that could have a knock-on effect on future spending after the black-and-whites narrowly avoided a PSR breach last summer.

Newcastle have used January to good effect over the years - signing Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn - but this is traditionally a difficult period to do business in. Figures within the game also expect next month to be quiet following a summer where trading was down across the board.

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Howe revealed Newcastle have things 'bubbling along in the background', and stressed the need to be reactive and ready, but the Magpies boss reiterated 'everything has got to align' to secure the right player who ticks a host of boxes.

"The right player is the right position, the right cost," Howe explained to reporters. "So much goes into it. You could reel off 20 things that make the right player but, ultimately, if you're not necessarily actively in the market, the right player almost becomes redundant. As I've said many times, it's what we can do - not what we want to do."

There is still a week-and-a-half or so to go until the window opens and Howe said his 'main focus' has been on a busy period of fixtures. Newcastle will contest their third game in a week against Ipswich Town on Saturday and by the time the black-and-whites' match against Bournemouth finishes on January 18, Howe's team will have played nine fixtures in three competitions in just five weeks.

These games will go a long way to deciding Newcastle's fate this season with league matches against Aston Villa and Manchester United to come after Christmas and a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg against Arsenal to follow next month. While Newcastle have proved their big-game credentials at St James' this season - defeating Arsenal and Chelsea and drawing with Liverpool and Manchester City - Saturday's trip to Portman Road feels a timely test.

Newcastle, after all, have only won once away from home since September and the last time the Magpies played games in such quick succession, Howe's team were thumped at Brentford just days after going toe-to-toe with Liverpool in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Newcastle have looked more like their old selves since then, following victories against Brentford and Leicester City, but Dan Burn has again highlighted how 'elite teams' always have the same mentality - regardless of who or where they play.

Newcastle will be bidding to show that mentality against Ipswich as two of Sir Bobby Robson's former clubs face off in the Premier League for the first time since 2002.

"It's not lost on me the relationship that Sir Bobby Robson had with Ipswich," Howe added. "Sometimes, doing a little bit more digging into the history that he had there, it can surprise you the length of time that he served there as manager. I was caught a little bit by that.

"Of course he has a stand named after him there and to have that relationship with two clubs is very unique and shows what a man and what a manager he was. I'm aware of that connection and we want to try and do his legacy proud at the weekend."