Newcastle United scouts are working hard to identify which right winger to sign.
The Magpies simply must strengthen in that position in the summer, having failed to do so during the past two transfer windows. There is now an even greater need for reinforcements on the right, with Miguel Almiron leaving the club.
Signing a right winger will be a priority for Paul Mitchell. Newcastle United want three signings, one of which will be an attacker to join Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
There are plenty of options out there, both domestically and abroad. Geordie Boot Boys have been told that Newcastle scouted Tyler Dibling last week, with the 19-year-old set to leave Southampton at the end of the season.
He would be a very exciting signing, but he is not the only attacker that scouts are keeping tabs on.
Newcastle United attend Champions League clash
That is according to TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, who has told Geordie Boot Boys that Newcastle United scouts were in attendance to watch Benfica vs Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
That game ended 3-3, with Benfica advancing to the next stage of the competition 4-3 on aggregate.
But Newcastle were not concerned about the result. Instead, they were there to watch Maghnes Akliouche.
“He’s a player who the club like,” Bailey said.
“He can play in multiple attacking positions. He is a very interesting player. He has played a lot of his football this season on the right, but he can play centrally too.
“It is no surprise that he is on Newcastle’s radar. We know Paul Mitchell and the scouts have been on him since last year. He is a huge talent with a really high ceiling.”
Newcastle United look abroad as Paul Mitchell prepares to flex transfer muscles
Newcastle’s interest in Akliouche dates back to October. That is when Geordie Boot Boys first reported that Paul Mitchell had his eye on the 22-year-old.
He is a really exciting talent, and the type of player that Newcastle United fans would love to watch on a weekly basis. Akliouche has got five goals and seven assists so far this season, which is one less goal contribution than what Jacob Murphy has got.
While Akliouche was the main reason for Newcastle United watching Monaco face Benfica on Tuesday night, there will likely have been other players on their agenda.
Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva has been linked with the Magpies in the past, while Newcastle admire Eliesse Ben Seghir, who plays alongside Akliouche for Monaco.
As the summer transfer window looms, Newcastle have plenty of options. They are not just focussing on domestic targets, with Paul Mitchell seemingly open to the possibility of raiding his former club Monaco.
Newcastle know they will get more value if they sign someone from abroad. Premier League players are always more expensive – even more so if they are English.
That is why a player like Akliouche will appeal, although a deal would come with the risk that they do not adapt to Premier League football. But that is the type of risk that Mitchell needs to take, as he prepares to implement his new transfer strategy this summer.
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