Word stemming from the media late on Monday evening suggests that Newcastle United are closing on the club’s 2nd signing of the January transfer window.

Trippier arrives

The subject of transfers has of course proven headline news at St. James’ Park over the course of the last week.

This comes as the newly-minted Magpies are finally afforded the chance to flex their financial muscle, backed by the eye-watering riches of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

The long-anticipated first signing of the Saudi era was made official late last week, in the form of Kieran Trippier’s arrival from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

The stopper, already boasting a wealth of Premier League experience owing to stints with Burnley and Tottenham, is understood to have set Newcastle back a sum of around £12 million, plus bonuses.

Reims star incoming?

The winter transfer business on Tyneside, however, looks far from complete.

This comes with Eddie Howe’s men of course still in the thick of the battle against relegation in the Premier League, sitting 2nd from bottom, owing to just a solitary victory across the campaign to date.

Further reinforcements at the back were understood to be the priority, with rumours having long circulated surrounding a potential swoop for Lille standout Sven Botman.

Fee & details: Newcastle ‘in advanced talks’ to sign leading teenage goalscorer across Top-5 leagues

BUDAPEST – Sven Botman van Holland during the UEFA EURO U21 quarter-final match between the Netherlands U21 and France U21 at the Bozsik Arena on May 31, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. ANP ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN (Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images)

If the latest word stemming from the media late on Monday is anything to go by, though, then, in fact, Newcastle instead appear to be closing on a fresh addition up top.

The player inching towards St. James’? Hugo Ekitike.

19-year-old Ekitike has exploded onto the scene in his home country of France this season.

Across his first 17 senior appearances in club football (10 starts), the gifted starlet has racked up a head-turning 8 goals and 2 assists – good enough to make him the highest scoring teenager in Europe’s top-5 divisions.

And the transfer chiefs on the Tyne, in turn, have already been sufficiently impressed to give the green light to a swoop for Ekitike this month.

Not only that, but, as per a report from Toby Cudworth of 90min, Newcastle are in fact in ‘advanced talks’ with their Stade de Reims counterparts to land the versatile attacker, in a deal worth ‘just shy of £30 million’.

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