BBC pundit reveals huge dilemma NUFC look set to face in January – This will be a BIG problem..

Robbie Savage has raised a worrying point ahead of the January window, asking ‘who is going to go to Newcastle’ if we are still stuck in the bottom three and unwilling to pay big money in the new year – saying we’ll go down if we don’t sign a goalscorer..

The January transfer window is one of the most difficult periods to operate in as it is (with clubs not often keen to sell and unsettle their squad half way through the season), however it’s made even tougher when you have an owner unwilling to spend big.

Any proven striker is expensive enough as it is in this day and age, but going for them in January puts their price up even more. Is Ashley the sort of owner to pay over the odds? Most definitely not.

Speaking on the BBC’s 606, here’s what Savage has had to say about our potential hunt for a new striker in January:

“Steve Bruce one said to me: ‘you’re only as good as your strikers’ – that’s why they get paid the most money and go for the biggest fees.

“Now in January, if you’re Newcastle looking for a centre forward (A) you’re in the bottom three and (B) unless you’re going to pay £150,000-£200,000 a-week and take a chance on somebody, who is going to go there?”

“I’m looking at Newcastle and Huddersfield, who is going to score the goals to keep them up? Something needs to happen and happen fast or they are going to go down.”

This is a very valid point and a real obstacle that awaits Benitez if we can’t get ourselves away from danger over the next few months.

Let’s say Newcastle fancy going for a Premier League striker or a forward playing for a decent European side. They’d look at us and worry that we’re Championship bound – and the same applies to potential investors interested in a takeover.

Even if a decent striker was happy to take the plunge, would Ashley invest big for a player who could hit our finances massively should we be in the second tier this time next year? Not only that, he’d be a Benitez signing – yet he’s due to leave in a few months if nothing changes.

So many obstacles and so many issues. If only Ashley invested when we were on the up going in the summer.