When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st to signal a brand new year, to most it brings the idea of a fresh start and new beginnings.
But to football fans, it usually means only one thing, the opening of the January transfer window.
After a £35 million spend in the summer, mixed with the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a rumoured takeover still rumbling on in the background, Newcastle United head coach Steve Bruce is set to have no funds to spend in January.
Bruce will be heavily reliant on the loan market in a bid to bolster his side, something which he did admit to the media after Wednesday night's draw with Liverpool.
VAVEL takes a look at three players that have every chance of wearing a black and white shirt by the end of the month.
Dele Alli
After not starting a single Premier League game for Tottenham since the opening day of the 2020/21 season, England attacking midfielder Dele Alli is set to leave Spurs on loan this month.
According to the Daily Express, Newcastle and Everton are apparently interested in offering the 24-year-old an escape route out of North London.
It will have not been the first time The Magpies have tried to acquire the services of Alli - the player was agonisingly close to signing for the club from Milton Keynes Dons in 2015, before Spurs swooped in at the eleventh hour to prize him away from a move to Tyneside.
However, it is unlikely that Alli will make the move to the North East this month due to his high wages, added with continuous lingering interest from Champions League finalists Paris Saint Germain, who did fail with three bids to sign him in the summer.
Brandon Williams
Despite making 17 league appearances for Manchester United last season, England U21 left-back Brandon Williams looks to be departing The Red Devils on loan this transfer window.
Williams has featured only one time for United this season and has fallen down the pecking order due to Brazilian international Alex Telles joining the club in the summer.
Newcastle, according to Chronicle Live, are interested in taking Williams on loan to provide competition and cover for summer signing Jamal Lewis, who has been the club's only fit and registered left-back for the majority of the season.
Fellow Premier League club Southampton are also reportedly interested in the 20-year-old, but with Toon boss Steve Bruce boasting a very good relationship with Manchester United after spending many years there as a player, it makes Newcastle front-runners to land Williams' signature.
Phil Jones
Newcastle were happy to send Florian Lejeune on loan to Deportivo Alaves as they had an agreement in place with Arsenal to sign Rob Holding on a season-long-loan.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta pulled the plug on the deal at the very last minute, leaving The Magpies short of cover in central defence.
Newcastle are almost guaranteed to bring in a centre-back on loan this window, and someone who that is likely to be is Phil Jones, a man who is reportedly keen to kick-start his career away from Manchester United.
According to The Northern Echo, Steve Bruce wants to sign the England defender on loan this January, but a permanent transfer is already off the cards.
To make this deal happen, it is almost certain that The Red Devils would have to pay a percentage of Jones' wages whilst he is on Tyneside, which are rumoured to be well over £100,000-a-week.