Newcastle United could make a deadline day move for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope.

The Lowdown: Summer interest in Tielemans

As per Mail Online, the 25-year-old has been at the centre of heavy interest from Arsenal this summer, with reports claiming the Belgium international is Mikel Arteta’s number one target if he chooses to strengthen his midfield options following the injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny.

Tielemans has entered the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium and he is now said to be keen to leave the Foxes after a three-year tenure at the club.

Surprisingly, Leicester are yet to receive an offer for the midfielder, with other reported interest having emerged out of Liverpool.

The Latest: Hope’s claim

Hope has now shared news of the Magpies showing late interest in the Leicester man, who could be available for a cut-price figure.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, the reliable journalist claimed: “Youri Tielemans has been on Newcastle's 'list' for a while now, but chances were played down earlier in summer. Interestingly, I was told y'day that, while loans were most likely, they could still act if a deal became viable at right price, bringing forward future budgets. #nufc”

The Verdict: Great signing

When looking at the Belgian’s underlying statistics, it is easy to see why Eddie Howe may be interested in luring him to St James’ Park.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Tielemans ranks in the 95th percentile for expected goals assisted, the 93rd percentile for shots total and the 92nd percentile for shot-creating actions.

With Newcastle looking to add another creative playmaker to their ranks, the 25-year-old could be the perfect addition to their squad, given that he has been dubbed as 'one of Europe's top midfielders' by Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

Therefore, with less than a year left on his current deal, if Newcastle can agree a cut-price with the Foxes for Tielemans’ services, this could be a great signing for the Magpies.