Newcastle United are interested in making a move for Rennes striker Gaetan Laborde this summer.

The Lowdown: Laborde starring at Rennes

The 28-year-old was a standout attacking figure in Ligue 1 last season, registering an impressive 23 goal contributions, 15 of which were goals and the other eight assists.

Laborde may feel that his performances have justified a move to a top team, and he has already been linked with a move to Wolves earlier this summer.

Now, Newcastle appear to have entered the race to sign the Frenchman.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on move

According to Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have been looking to sign Laborde for 'several months', as have Sevilla and 'especially Lille'.

The Magpies 'could go on the offensive' regarding the move, with an offer of around €20-25million (£16.8m-21m) demanded by Rennes.

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The Verdict: System change?

Laborde's success last season speaks for itself, with his displays helping Rennes finish a surprise fourth place in the league last term, which is something that Newcastle may feel he could do for them.

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He is an experienced player with 197 appearances to his name in Ligue 1, so the step up to the Premier League certainly won't leave him overawed, and his arrival could even signal a system change to put two up front.

Known for his 'excellent' and 'class' finishing in the words of journalist Josh Bunting, Laborde and striker partner Andy Delort have formed 'one of the best strike pairings in Europe', with Zach Lowy even claiming they are 'genuinely the midtable Ligue 1 version of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole'.

Could Eddie Howe actually be searching for a player to partner with Callum Wilson rather than one to support him when injuries strike?