Former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has delivered his verdict on transfer links involving Newcastle United and a move for Leicester City star Youri Tielemans.
The lowdown: Newcastle on the move
Under the stewardship of Eddie Howe and the backing of new owners PIF, Newcastle enjoyed a sensational upturn in form after the January transfer window.
Not content with standing still, the Tynesiders could be about to re-enter the market, having already added Sven Botman from Lille, England goalkeeper Nick Pope and the permanent capture of Matt Targett this summer.
Following reputable CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs telling GiveMeSport about the enquiries for Tielemans from the Magpies, one pundit has now delivered his verdict on the possible move...
The latest: Agbonlahor talks up Tielemans move
Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa frontman and regular talkSPORT contributor Agbonlahor has claimed that Tielemans moving to Newcastle is quite a viable move.
The 35-year-old said: “He will have seen the likes of Trippier go there and other players.
“He’ll maybe look at the project and see if you sign a five-year contract after a couple of years you’ll be looking to break into Europe or the top-four after three years. That might be something he looks into.
“Obviously he’ll get more money than Arsenal could pay him as well. Money is not an issue for Newcastle, you’re going to get paid very well.
“With all those factors, you can see a lot of players going to Newcastle, to be honest.”
The verdict: Don't rule it out
PIF have already shown a penchant for bolstering the squad at St James' Park with proven Premier League operators since Howe's arrival, a criterion into which Tielemans certainly fits.
Signed by Leicester from AS Monaco in 2019, so far the 25-year-old - who was hailed by journalist Joe Prince-Wright as an 'exceptional player' who 'can do it all' - has made 120 English top-flight appearances, yielding 36 direct goal contributions.
Holding a market value of £49.5m (Transfermarkt), any move for the 52-cap Belgium international would be an expensive outlay for the Toon, but most certainly a worthwhile one given the potential to add another top-quality operator to the Newcastle midfield ranks alongside Bruno Guimaraes.