Newcastle United may now have received a big boost in their pursuit of Luis Diaz in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: In the race

A Bola (via Sport Witness) reported last month that the St. James' Park faithful were one of a number of clubs in the race to sign Diaz in January, along with the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan.

He is a player that is having somewhat of a breakout season at FC Porto, with no fewer than 12 goals scored and three assists made in 21 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Teammate Sergio Oliveira even went as far as to claim that he is 'extraordinary' after a match-winning display against AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League, and there is no doubt that he has a big future ahead of him.

The Latest: Financial trouble

As per Record (via Sport Witness), the North East club may now have received 'good news' in their hopes of signing Diaz, as Porto failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

It has made a big impact on their financial situation, and the 'fastest solution' is to sell some of their big stars next month, including Diaz.

Porto will now listen to any offers that come in for the Colombia international in January, and their 'dream scenario' would be to sell in the winter, but for him not to actually leave until the summer.

The Verdict: Unrealistic

Given the calibre of clubs that seem to be in for Diaz, it may prove too difficult for the Tyneside outfit to persuade him to join them at this moment in time.

Of course, they currently find themselves in a relegation battle, and a player of Diaz's quality, who has just played in the Champions League, will surely want to move to other teams still in the competition ahead of them.

Still, with the financial backing that they have from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium, it will not hurt the Magpies to at least try to sign the 24-year-old, but it may well be an uphill battle.

In other news, find out which 'warrior' Eddie Howe is now targeting here!