Newcastle United are reportedly tracking Glasgow Rangers gem Cole McKinnon ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Already looking ahead

The St James' Park club are already looking ahead to the winter market in terms of bringing more players into the squad, with the likes of James Maddison, Anthony Gordon and Diogo Costa being linked with moves to the Magpies.

Nonetheless, with the summer transfer window shut, Eddie Howe can now focus on the next few months with the players that he has available to him, prior to the World Cup in Qatar this November.

The Latest: McKinnon tracked by Newcastle

As per The Scottish Sun, Newcastle are now tracking McKinnon ahead of a possible move and have sent scouts to watch him play for Partick Thistle, where he is currently on loan from Rangers.

The Magpies are thought to be 'weighing up a bid' for the central midfielder, who scored a wonder goal over the weekend in a 2-0 win over Arbroath in the Scottish Championship.

The Verdict: Midfield cover needed

Newcastle could really do with some extra cover in the middle of the park following the injuries to Jonjo Shelvey and Bruno Guimaraes.

Hailed as 'excellent' by Partick manager Ian McCall after his wonder strike at the weekend, the 19-year-old is already thriving in senior football, and he has scored for Rangers' first team in his embryonic career (Transfermarkt).

Of course, the Premier League is a different animal to the Scottish second tier, but McKinnon could be a handy option come January if both Shelvey and Bruno are still struggling with injury.