Newcastle United reportedly have their sights on a potential move for Velez Sarsfield midfielder Maximo Perrone.

The Lowdown: Midfielders wanted

The Magpies have enjoyed a brilliant 2022 and are currently third in the Premier League, winning their past six top-flight fixtures.

It seems as if a top-four finish is a real possibility at St. James’ Park, with attention now turning to the January transfer window.

The Telegraph have claimed that the club want to bolster their midfield ranks, with Moises Caicedo and Youri Tielemans named as potential targets. A teenage midfielder also appears to be on the radar in Perrone, who Newcastle were preparing an offer for in the summer.

The Latest: Perrone update

Sports Witness relayed a recent update from Record regarding the Argentine, where Newcastle were named. They claimed that Eddie Howe’s side and Wolves have their sights on the left-footed midfielder and have already made an approach about a move.

However, a further update from Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Manchester City are set to trigger Perrone's $8m release clause.

The Verdict: Would need to act fast…

You’d expect that PIF’s main focus will be on bolstering the first-team ranks for the second half of the season, however, a move for Perrone could still be wise and one that goes under the radar somewhat.

Capable of playing as a defensive or central midfielder, Perrone has been labelled as a 'spectacular' prospect by Gabriel Heinze, and a 'wonderful talent' by scout Ron Dor and has 33 games of first-team experience under his belt.

They may have to battle two Premier League rivals for the South American gem and it seems as if they'll need to act fast as well.