Newcastle are on the trail of the next Mesut Özil, but will face competition for his signature from West Ham United, and possibly other clubs across Europe.

According to a report on Turkish Football website, the Magpies have scouted 17-year-old Erkan Eyibil who plays for German Bundesliga side Mainz 05, and is a German national, but has Turkish heritage. Dubbed the new Özil due to his similar playing style, Eyibil has recently been called up to the German U-18 side for the first time, and has just a single year left on his contract.

With Mainz, as yet failing to agree a new contract with the youngster, both Newcastle and West Ham are monitoring the situation, and hoping to get a jump on other European clubs who are sure to be interested.

With Newcastle agreeing (as per the Chronicle) to revamp the academy setup at St James' Park, Eyibil is exactly the type of prospect that they will be hoping to attract.

Mike Ashley's policy for incoming transfers is no secret. He clearly wants talented youngsters that the club can nurture, in the hope of saving millions in future transfer fees, or net him a massive profit in any future sale. So it stands to reason that the academy needed to be substantially upgraded to bring the quality of teenagers to the club and provide them with facilities that would compare to other elite clubs around the world.

Signing players like Eyibil would justify the millions of pounds that the new look academy would cost, done largely at the request of Rafa Benitez.

We think players of this calibre are perfect for the club, and rather than him being dubbed the next Mesut Özil, we think he can become the first Erkan Eyibil.

What are your thoughts on Newcastle revamping the academy? Are they going to be able to attract future stars? Let us know below...