Newcastle United transfer need clear to Alan Shearer after Eddie Howe's honest January admission

Newcastle United spent the latter part of the summer seeking a central defensive signing, in the form of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, but Eddie Howe recently insisted his transfer team had their eye on players at the top end of the pitch too.

With the January window hurtling towards Premier League clubs, attention nows turns to where Newcastle focus their time and resources after an up and down start to the campaign. Many believe if only one can arrive come the winter market, Howe should prioritise a forward - either through the middle or out wide - to bolster his attacking options.

That is the general consensus of an opinionated fanbase and is backed up Newcastle's greatest ever goalscorer, Alan Shearer.

READ MORE: Meeting Mirandinha: Newcastle United icon on Gazza and moment Magpies tried to sign him back

READ MORE: Miguel Almiron exit theory emerges as Newcastle United contacted over January transfer

"Forward positions are where they need to strengthen, whether that's on the right or down the middle but that’s a position they could target and look to improve on," Shearer told Betfair. "Callum Wilson hasn't played yet this season and he's always had injuries throughout his career so if anything happened to Alexander Isak, then it'd be a huge concern.

"I don't know how the PSR situation is sitting with Newcastle, whether they'll have to sell in the summer should they invest in January, and it's a tough situation for them to be in, having to sell two of their youngsters last summer. They won’t want to be in that position again, but they did have money to spend last summer and didn't, so I'd hope that means they can improve somewhere down the line."

Newcastle have struggled in front of goal by their usual standards, with Isak the only out and out central striker either fit, or trusted, to occupy that role so far this term. Summer signing William Osula continues to make do with cameo appearances from the bench, while Callum Wilson's eagerly-awaited comeback continues to be delayed.

Howe was pressed on this particular issue just last month but straight batted questions about a recent lack of goals equating to a definite attacking transfer push in the upcoming window - one the Newcastle boss believes will be tricky to navigate.

"I think we have to take a long-term strategic view looking at ages and contract lengths, positional need," Howe said in October. "There'll be no snap decisions based on a couple of games where we haven't scored. Of course if that trend was to continue long term, then we'd look at that."

"But there were attacking positions we were looking to strengthen in the creative areas, so I don't think it was a one-dimensional transfer strategy. Of course we didn't end up achieving success in those positions."