Newcastle United have reportedly already shown 'first signs' that they would be willing to pay the release clause of Paulo Dybala to sign him this summer.

The Lowdown: Summer interest

Newcastle were reportedly interested in signing Dybala as a free agent last summer, as his contract at Juventus was expiring.

However, he ended up signing for AS Roma instead, but with a release clause inserted in his deal.

The Latest: Newcastle showing 'first signs'

As per Italian news outlet Calciomercato, the St. James' Park outfit have already shown 'first signs' that they would be willing to pay Dybala's release clause, which has been set at just €12m (£10.7m) for non-Italian teams.

However, the clause is also thought to be 'attractive' to their fellow Premier League rivals Manchester United, and so there could be a battle for his signature come the summer.

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The Verdict: Bargain

Signing Dybala for just over £10m would be a real bargain, considering that his market value is currently nearly three times as much as that, and he was valued at around £100m just a few years ago.

Hailed as a 'world-class' player on his day by former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Dybala ranks in the top 20% for a number of key metrics for forwards in Europe's top five leagues over the past year, and of course, comes off the back of a FIFA World Cup win with Argentina.

The 29-year-old has so much experience of playing at the highest level for both club and country, and would be a shrewd addition to the Magpies, especially if they are playing in Europe next season.