Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a January transfer window move for Vasco da Gama central midfielder Andrey Santos.

The Lowdown: Rising star

Santos is a rising star in Brazil, having been capped six times at youth level, while he has also played 27 times for Vasco at the age of just 18, scoring five goals (Transfermarkt).

Hailed as a player with 'incredible maturity' and 'a lot of quality' by teammate Nene, he has also been described as a 'monster' physically by Brazilian legend Juninho and he's even been likened to one of the greats of the game in the defensive midfield position - Sergio Busquets (Goal).

The Latest: Bid made

As per Globo Esporte, the St. James' Park outfit have made a bid worth €35m (£30.2m) in an attempt to try and sign Santos once the January window comes.

However, he looks set to sign a new contract at Vasco, which will have a €50m (£43.1m) release clause.

The Verdict: Get it done

At 18 and already making an impact in senior football, Santos has so much potential, and if the Magpies can sign him up early in his career, they should be able to reap the benefits.

Of course, any kind of deal for the figures quoted will have its risks, but Santos could easily surpass that valuation in a few years' time.

Incidentally, the Brazilian has the same agent as Bruno Guimaraes, who transferred to the North East from Lyon in January, and so this is a deal that could feasibly be pushed through with the right transfer fee.