Newcastle scouted 21-year-old playmaker on Monday night, he’s compared himself to James Maddison

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Newcastle United tried and failed to sign James Maddison in the summer, and are now looking at someone who thinks he plays just like him.

Maddison was one of the Magpies’ top targets during the summer transfer window, and the attacking midfielder was actually keen on a move to St James’ Park. However, Toon officials could not give him the money he wanted, which led to Tottenham Hotspur swooping in.

That was a real shame, and Maddison has proven that Newcastle made a real mistake with some outstanding performances for Ange Postecoglu’s side.

But Newcastle were looking at the bigger picture as they looked to preserve their wage structure, and are now scouting someone who will likely demand a lot less money than Maddison did.

Newcastle scouts watched Georgiy Sudakov on Monday

According to 90min, Newcastle scouts were in attendance to watch Georgiy Sudakov play for Ukraine against Italy on Monday night. He played the full game as his side were held to a 0-0 draw, meaning the only way they can qualify for Euro 2024 is via the playoffs.

They report that Newcastle are one of multiple Premier League clubs who have been paying close attention to the Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder in recent months.

After the success of Mykhailo Mudryk last year, it appears that the Ukrainian side have another star coming to the fore.

The 21-year-old has got three goals and one assist to his name so far, with one of his goals coming against Barcelona in the Champions League. He was impressive last season too, recording five goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Sudakov looks likely to be the next Ukrainian star to secure a major move, and it is no surprise that Newcastle are watching him closely given who he has compared himself to.

During an interview with the Telegraph earlier this month, Sudakov said his style of player was similar to Maddison’s. That sounds like he would be right up the Magpies’ alley then, as they were after the real thing just a few months ago.

But if Newcastle do decide to make a move for the attacking midfielder, they will face a lot of competition. Some huge clubs are also watching Sudakov, with 90min naming Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Arsenal as potential suitors.