Former BBC pundit Noel Whelan has been left wowed after hearing that Newcastle United could sign Youri Tielemans in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Bid ready

It was reported earlier this week that the St. James' Park outfit could put in a bid of €20m (£17.4m) for Tielemans in January, which would be difficult for Leicester City to refuse given that his contract at the King Power Stadium is up in the summer.

However, it is not clear whether the player himself would be open to moving to the North East.

The Latest: Whelan wowed

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was left wowed after hearing the transfer news, claiming that Tielemans is a 'fantastic player' who could be 'massive' for the Tynesiders:

“It’d be a great signing, it really would.

“He could get into most of the Premier League sides if he were to leave in January.

“He’s a fantastic player, aggressive, full of energy. The game looks easy to him at times, you can see he’s a standout in that Leicester side.

“He would be a great signing for any team.

“Tielemans could be a massive player for Newcastle, he really could be. He is that player who finds the pass, breaks into the box – and he can score goals as well.

“He’d be a great addition.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

To get a player of Tielemans' quality on the cheap in January is surely a no-brainer for Eddie Howe's side.

Lauded as ‘one of Europe’s top midfielders’ by Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers, he currently ranks in the 97th percentile for xG assisted and in the 92nd for shot-creating actions among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, while he also ranks highly on total shots and progressive passes (FBref).

With plenty of Premier League experience to his name at 25 as well, the Belgium international should be able to settle in quickly, and could turn out to be the key for the Magpies to challenge for the European places at the end of the season.