Newcastle United are interested in Lucas Digne, whose Everton future is very much in doubt.
That's according to a report in The Sunday People (via Metro).
The lowdown
Digne's frustrations with Rafael Benitez's style of play culminated in a row with the manager ahead of Everton's clash with Arsenal two weeks ago (via The Athletic). The Frenchman has been missing from Benitez's last three matchday squads, although the 61-year-old did say that the left-back's absence against Chelsea a few days ago was down to illness.
Everton have already lined up a potential replacement in the form of Dynamo Kyiv's Vitaliy Mykolenko. Fabrizio Romano reported last week that the Ukrainian was undergoing a medical ahead of a January move which will cost up to €23m (£19.6m).
The latest
Newcastle are one of three Premier League sides named by The Sunday People (via Metro) as potential suitors for Digne.
The other clubs involved in this potential transfer battle are reigning Champions League holders Chelsea and Brendan Rodgers' Leicester City, who will compete in the Europa Conference League in the spring.
The verdict
Digne is valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt and is under a £110,000-per-week contract Everton until June 2025, but they may be willing to compromise on the fee if Benitez looks set to move on.
What seems clear is that it could be a magnificent signing for Newcastle. According to data from a Dutch analytics firm, the 28-year-old is one of the top 10 left-backs in the world, while his former Toffees manager Marco Silva said in 2019 that the defender "has everything we expect from a professional football player"
If he is played in a system which he feels would suit him, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star can be an immense creative force, given his status as one of the leading assists providers among Premier League defenders. That quality could make a massive difference to a Newcastle team who have been struggling for goals.
In other news, Newcastle are also in the race to land one of Digne's compatriots.