Newcastle United could be an ‘exciting’ prospect for Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemka, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Left out of pre-season tour

The 18-year-old only has a year remaining on his contract at Villa Park and has thus far refused to put pen to paper on a long-term extension, with some reports even suggesting he is demanding £100k-per-week.

Chukwuemka was left out of Villa’s pre-season tour of Australia, suggesting that he is surplus to requirements for the West Midlands outfit, at least until he signs a new deal.

Manager Steven Gerrard explained the youngster’s situation: “Carney’s yet to sign a contract offer that’s been in place for some time now, so I’ve decided that the best thing for him would be to continue his training programme back at Bodymoor.”

The Latest: Jones shares what he knows

According to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Villa are 'open' to selling the midfielder if their £20m asking price is met, with Barcelona currently leading the race.

The Daily Mail have claimed that Newcastle, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are also interested in securing the player’s signature.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones has weighed in on the situation:

“I think it makes sense that they would want to know about his situation and whether he’d be interested, I think that there are so many clubs looking at his situation.

“It doesn’t help that Barcelona are the top club interested because at the moment, you just assume that everyone is just going to sign for them.

“But if he doesn’t, then a club like Newcastle, who have got such an ambitious project, is probably exciting for him and might be the platform that he is looking for. So, I can believe that they will be in that race.”

The Verdict: Huge potential...

Dubbed “outstanding” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson following an impressive Premier League display last season, it is easy to see why so many big clubs are interested in signing Chukwuemka.

The midfielder scored three times and set up another two goals for England U19s this summer as they rose to victory at the European Championships, with the Villa youngster also being named in the team of the tournament.

With scouts from the likes of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund - renowned for their fantastic youth systems - watching closely, Chukwuemka’s potential is clearly exciting, making this a great signing for Newcastle if they can pull it off.