Journalist Fabrizio Romano has handed Liverpool a transfer blow amid their recent links to midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

It's well understood that the Reds are in the hunt for a new midfielder but may have to scout around for a cheaper alternative to the much-coveted Jude Bellingham, who has been linked with a departure from Borussia Dortmund.

With that being the case, the Premier League club have recently been linked with a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Gravenberch.

Indeed, as per German news outlet BILD, a "delegation from Liverpool had sought talks with Gravenberch's management in the past few days" and so it seems as though Jurgen Klopp's men have a very real interest in the 20-year-old.

However, while talking on the latest episode of the Here We Go podcast, Romano explained that Bayern have already decided to keep the player, so any move will be difficult to complete.

He said: "We know that Liverpool want Ryan Gravenberch. So Liverpool are waiting for the player to speak to Bayern.

"But from Bayern's side, the decision is already made, they want to keep the player. So the only way is for the player to go there and tell Bayern: 'I want to leave.'

"But at the moment, this has not happened and Bayern are still pushing to keep the player for one more season."

Will Ryan Gravenberch join Liverpool?

Seeing as the midfielder – who reportedly earns around £155k per week – has hardly played this season, he may want to leave Germany.

Indeed, after arriving from Ajax last summer, Gravenberch has managed just 348 minutes of action in the Bundesliga.

With that in mind, the youngster may want to force an exit away from Bayern Munich. And by the sounds of it, that's the only way this deal could be completed with the German giants not keen to see the talent leave.

For now, though, it remains unclear how the player feels about the whole situation. Indeed, when quizzed about the Liverpool interest, journalist Christian Falk revealed that Gravenberch "didn‘t want to comment".

And while it's easy to argue that he could get more playing time in England and so might want to leave, you could also claim that he won't want to give up his Bundesliga dream just yet either.

After all, it was only last summer that he opted to join Munich despite being wanted by a number of top clubs across Europe.

Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey could leave the club during the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Has Bailey had a good season for Villa?

The Villans' fortunes have turned around so much this season, with things looking bleak earlier in the campaign when Steven Gerrard was in charge. Since Unai Emery has come in as manager, however, they have been transformed, with results and performances going up a significant gear.

So many individuals have improved under the Spaniard as the season has gone on and Bailey is one of them, because a more consistent and dangerous presence in Villa's attack. The £100,000-a-week attacker has scored and assisted four times apiece in the Premier League in 2022/23, with his most recent assist coming in the 2-1 win over Tottenham earlier this month.

The 25-year-old's current deal at Villa Park expires in the summer of 2025, however, and while there is still a couple of years left on it, there is the possibility that the club decides to potentially accept an offer for him at the end of the season.

Could Bailey leave Villa this summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Bailey is someone who could possibly depart once the summer window opens:

"I think there will be a market for him. He's the type of player that will always attract a certain level of club. I would be surprised if he was at Villa next season, even if he was to have a banging last game of the season."

This is a tricky one for Villa, with Bailey's displays much improved in recent months and his age meaning he could improve further in the coming years. That being said, he does arguably feel like someone who could both be improved and who Villa could receive good money for, so it is a key decision to make in the coming months.

The key ultimately depends on whether Emery sees the 19-cap and three-goal Jamaica international as an important figure moving forward, or if he believes there are stronger options out there.

Granted, he has got better after some questionable form in the past, but a more prolific wide man could help take Villa to that next level this season – someone who can deliver more relentless numbers than eight Premier League goal contributions in 32 appearances.

If Bailey stays, it is unlikely that many supporters will be complaining, but equally, there would be logic in letting him go, helping boost Villa's summer transfer kitty in the process.

A move by Manchester United to land Jeremie Frimpong looks increasingly likely, with a report from SportBILD (via Sport Witness) suggesting that a deal to send the player to Old Trafford "beckons".

Are Manchester United signing Jeremie Frimpong?

The defender has become a first-team regular for Bayer Leverkusen this season, playing in 33 Bundesliga outings – the most he has managed over the course of his career to date. The club have reaped the rewards of getting the player on the field more, too, with Frimpong managing eight goals and seven assists so far – again a career-best for the wing-back.

And while achieving an average WhoScored rating of 7.15 for the club in the league, the 22-year-old has become hot property. Showcasing his ability to do it at the top level, his rating puts him as the 17th-best player in the entire division (min. 18 apps) and above people like Alphonso Davies – understandably catching the attention of sides who now want to sign him in the process.

One of the most heavily interested sides are Premier League giants Man United, who have been linked with a switch for the defender on several occasions over the last few months. Erik ten Hag remains keen to add some more depth to his side in the right-back position and the Bayer Leverkusen man would fit the bill in that respect.

Now, it seems that a deal to send him to Old Trafford is becoming more likely. That's because a report from SportBILD (via Sport Witness) states that a move to the Red Devils "beckons" for the player.

Who are Man United signing at right-back?

If United do pull off a deal to bring in Frimpong, they could have themselves a top-level player – and for a good fee, too.

For starters, the CIES Football Observatory suggests that his value is around the €40m (£34m) mark, which, if accurate, makes him not too expensive considering what he could potentially offer to United.

He's also been praised highly by Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who stated that the defender is a "special" player and has a "big impact" for the team when he is on the field. It's high praise indeed from a manager who accomplished plenty as a player himself.

Frimpong would also offer plenty offensively. Despite his position on the field, he is the second-highest goalscorer in the Bayer Leverkusen squad this season, while his assist tally also ranks him second in the side. He would therefore enable United to get on the front foot more and could offer them a real upgrade on that right flank if he was able to replicate his Bundesliga form in the Premier League.

Wes Durston has called time on his Derbyshire career by mutual consent

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2016Wes Durston has called time on his Derbyshire career by mutual consent.Durston, 36, leaves Derbyshire after making 218 appearances since his debut in 2010, scoring 7,628 runs across all formats. He also skippered Derbyshire in limited-overs cricket.Cricket advisory director, Kevin Dean said: “Wes has been a tremendous player for Derbyshire and we would like to thank him for his efforts over the last seven seasons. He made many notable contributions down the years, no more than in our 2012 promotion winning season, but both parties feel that the time is now right to move on. We wish Wes all the very best for the future.”Durston’s uncomplicated see-ball, hit-ball approach made him a favourite with Derbyshire supporters and probably testified to a late-developing career that had a reawakening in his thirties after he had been released early by Somerset. But he began to show his age in 2016 and with the new director of cricket, Kim Barnett, intent on a shake-up, his departure is no surprise.

Liverpool need to sign multiple midfielders this summer after a mass departure and have reportedly earmarked Leicester City's Youri Tielemans, who is soon to be out of contract.

What's the latest on Youri Tielemans to Liverpool?

That's according to 90min's Graeme Bailey on the Talking Transfers podcast, who said that the Belgium international is a player that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp 'loves'.

A few months ago, Football Insider claimed that Liverpool were 'plotting a move' for the 26-year-old, while more recently The Athletic's James Pearce stated that his signing is indeed a possibility.

Tielemans recently posted a heartfelt farewell post to the Foxes confirming his departure at the end of his contract, and with Liverpool's new technical director Jorg Schmadtke seeking reinforcement after James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all concluded their contracts at Anfield, his signature could be a prudent one to procure.

Should Liverpool sign Youri Tielemans?

Tielemans and Leicester have not enjoyed an auspicious season by any stretch of the imagination, having been relegated from the Premier League after a miserable slump of a season.

However, Liverpool have found success in swooping for players confined to the drop before: Andy Robertson was clinched from Hull City and Gini Wijnaldum brought from Newcastle United, both players having fallen foul to the clamp of the bottom three and playing central roles in the most illustrious period in the Merseyside team's modern history.

The £35k-per-week Fox is also one of the most intelligent and dynamic midfielders in the game, once heralded by former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers as "one of Europe's top midfielders".

Also hailed as "the complete midfield player" by Martin Keown, the one-time Anderlecht youth has still maintained an average Sofascore rating of 7.04 despite his club's woes, completing 82% of his passes, averaging one key pass and 2.1 tackles per game.

And as for the entirety of his career at the King Power Stadium, he has been instrumental in winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, actually scoring a resounding strike against Chelsea in the finale of the former to clinch the trophy, once praised as a "phenomenon" by former pro Par Zetterberg.

He could be the dream Thiago Alcantara heir on Merseyside, with the 32-year-old pass master signing from Bayern Munich for £20m in 2020 and being hailed as "staggering" for his ball-playing prowess by Michael Owen, indeed ranking among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Like Thiago, Tielemans is, perhaps, not the most mobile of aces, instead flourishing through his occupation of the half-spaces and indeed utilising his footballing intellect to pick apt passes and exhibit his superlative technicality.

While Liverpool supporters are yearning for a more robust and energetic midfield, and that is not to say Tielemans cannot contribute effectively in this regard, his composure and guile could meld exquisitely alongside the likes of the unrelenting Alexis Mac Allister, who is on the verge of entering the conclusive stage with the Reds from Brighton & Hove Albion.

This is why his role as Thiago's heir could bear fruit for Klopp and co, who would only benefit from a diverse and variegated midfield – aces different in style but all boasting a similar level of quality.

And while Liverpool's Spanish maestro is "a special player" – as proclaimed by Robertson – he has spent what feels like the lion's share of his time at Anfield cuffed to the injury department, indeed missing a shocking 60 matches due to unavailability over three seasons. Hardly evoking confidence.

Tielemans would be a "divine" addition – as he was once lauded by Jaquob Crooke – providing a new dimension to Klopp's squad and without the diminution of the transfer purse, something that could prove invaluable with Liverpool requiring major midfield surgery.

It's a no-brainer, really; Tielemans has proved throughout his Leicester career that he can dazzle with consistency and produce match-winning and trophy-gleaning moments. Just what Liverpool need.

Match facts

October 12, 2016
Start time 1330 local (1130 GMT)South Africa have an opportunity to inflict the first whitewash of Australia in a five-match series•AFP

Big Picture

South Africa couldn’t have asked for a better start to their summer. After having achieved their initial objective – a series win – they are in a position to inflict a whitewash against the top-ranked ODI side.The margins of victory reflect how South Africa have been dominant in every aspect. Two of the wins have come with more than 10 overs to spare, another by more than 140 runs. In the only match Australia threatened to come close, in Kingsmead, a freak performance by an out-of-form David Miller sealed the series.Miller apart, South Africa have been helped with contributions from Rilee Rossouw, Andile Phehlukwayo and Kyle Abbott, all of whom were considered fringe players coming into the series. That has meant South Africa are spoilt for choice, something Australia will covet.That Australian haven’t bowled South Africa out even once in the series reiterates the inexperience in their attack. But that doesn’t mean there are no other headaches. Australia have crossed 300 just once and have been bowled out for under 220 twice. Their over-reliance on big names hasn’t helped their cause. But they have the added motivation of trying to avoid being blanked.That they will have to do that at one of South Africa’s favourite grounds, in front of a sell-out crowd, will be a challenge. Newlands had earlier raised concerns about the match being scheduled on the same day as a religious holiday, , but it seems the enthusiasm is hardly affected by that.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: LLLLW

In the spotlight

With seven wickets in four matches, Andile Phehlukwayo has underlined the difference between both sides so far. Phehlukwayo is not part of the national squad in any other formats yet, but his ability to change pace and his maturity in accepting the responsibility of bowling at the death could change that. He has proved himself handy with the bat too, and can further boost his claim to be an allrounder.Steven Smith and David Warner are the only two Australians to have scored a hundred so far. Smith, the captain, doesn’t seem to bring as much out of his men as Warner did when he led them to an ODI series win in Sri Lanka. Before the series, Smith said he hoped to continue riding the wave Warner had created, but now may be left wondering if his one-day leadership credentials could be measured against Warner’s.

Team news

South Africa are looking at bringing back their big bowling guns in search of a clean sweep. That means Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada may force one of Kyle Abbott or Phehlukwayo out of the XI. They may continue with two spinners, with Imran Tahir likely to be brought back in place of Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wrist spinner. With the Tests looming, there’s merit in giving Shamsi a breather and allowing him to fully recover from a quad niggle. Others walking wounded include Rossouw, who hurt his finger, and Farhaan Behardien, who tweaked a hamstring. Both passed fitness Tests, but Temba Bavuma has been at training as cover, while Miller has made sufficient progress from his groin strain.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien/David Miller, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 and 9 Andile Phehlukwayo/Kyle Abbott/Dale Steyn/Kagiso Rabada, 10 Aaron Phangiso, 11 Imran TahirHaving tried all their bowling combinations in vain, Australia could make their young attack draw straws to decide which of Chris Tremain, Daniel Worrall, Joe Mennie or Scott Boland has to play the final ODI. Usman Khawaja has not been used at all and may be brought in to add depth to the batting.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch/Usman Khawaja, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Travis Head, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 and 11 Chris Tremain/Scott Boland/Daniel Worrall/Joe Mennie

Pitch and conditions

A cold front early in the week brought rain to Cape Town on Tuesday, but Newlands has a new drainage system which should keep the outfield dry should the rain stay away. Groundsman Evan Flint does not predict a run-fest, instead aiming for a surface that will offer the bowlers something as well. The weather is expected to be mild with temperatures in the teens, with a light breeze.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have never lost all of the matches in a five-game ODI series. The last time they lost all the matches played in an ODI series was in 2006-07 when they were beaten 3-0 by New Zealand. The only other time they were blanked 3-0 was by England, in 1997
• South Africa have beaten Australia 4-1 before, in a series in Australia in 2009

Quotes

“If you play against Australia, every little mental thing you can get on your side does play a role. It’s important for everyone to be in good touch. The one-percenters play a big role.”

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said the quick fall of Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman – the set batsmen – cost the side in a chase of 196 in Mount Maunganui

Mohammad Isam06-Jan-2017

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said the quick fall of Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman – the set batsmen – cost the side in a chase of 196 in Mount Maunganui. Sarkar and Sabbir added 68 off 40 balls for the fourth wicket before both batsmen exited in a space of 10 balls. The double-strike triggered another Bangladesh collapse, this time they lost their last seven wickets for 44 runs and lurched to a 47-run defeat.”We were hopeful after they made 195,” Mashrafe said. “We were batting positively after losing three early wickets. We were on course to the target but lost the last seven wickets far too quickly.”They [New Zealand] made 15 extra runs at this ground where 180 is a par score. We had two set batsmen chasing well. So when they got out, the match got out of our reach. We did create chances with the ball by taking three early wickets but we didn’t attack with the wind and then defend when the batsmen were hitting down wind.”Although Sarkar’s wicket contributed to the slide, he briefly found form with 39 off 26 balls, including three fours and two sixes, after scores of 0 and 1 in his last two innings. In fact, it was Sarkar’s first 30-plus score in international cricket since March last year. Mashrafe termed Sarkar’s effort as a “positive sign” but rued the lost opportunity.”He [Sarkar] is back in runs after some time, so he must also be feeling better,” Mashrafe said. “But he lost an opportunity to make a big score. It would have helped us because he was playing their pace well.”While Bangladesh struggled to come to come to terms with the wind, Colin Munro used it an ally to hammer seven sixes during his 52-ball century.”Munro didn’t start off with his shots early because they had lost three early wickets,” Mashrafe said. “Munro was constantly targeting to hit down wind. We couldn’t stop him from doing that. We knew his style of batting. He got out off the first ball in the last game. We failed to take advantage of the opportunity we created ourselves. I don’t think it has anything to do with Munro or anyone. We have the ability to keep creating opportunities but we should capitalise on it.”

Liverpool are considering making a summer approach to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports.

What's the latest on Neves to Liverpool?

The Old Gold captain first arrived in the Premier League back in 2017 and has since gone on to make 250 appearances at Molineux, but his future heading into the upcoming window is in the air.

The Portuguese international will be out of contract at the end of the next season and reports have claimed that he is ready to quit and embark on a new challenge, so with this set to be the final chance for Julen Lopetegui’s side to cash in, potential suitors are already circling, including the Reds.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed in April that Jurgen Klopp does have the 26-year-old on his list of midfield targets but that a move was not “imminent”, though a fresh update has now emerged which suggests otherwise.

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal and Manchester United, are all “strongly considering” making an official approach for Neves. The Wolves skipper is “keen” on a move to Barcelona, who are also name-checked as admirers, but it’s the trio that are the ones “in the race” to secure his services. The Midlands outfit have set a price tag “in the region” of £40m for their prized asset, though there’s a chance that could be increased given the calibre of clubs chasing him.

Would Neves be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool have clearly been long-term admirers of Neves and it’s no surprise that he’s attracting interest being Wolves’ overall top-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.99, so he would certainly be a fantastic acquisition for FSG and Klopp.

The Nike-sponsored star, called "incredible" by his teammates, is naturally a defensive midfielder who sits just in front of the backline, which is proven by him ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances amongst midfielders, but he’s also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third.

The World Cup and Europa League participant has recorded a total of 72 shot-creating actions and 62 shots since the start of the current term which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, not to mention that he’s got seven goal involvements to his name as a reward.

Finally, Neves has been dubbed a “beast” by the United States’ former professional Jimmy Conrad, so for all of the valuable qualities that he would add to the squad, he could be the perfect Fabinho successor.

Virat Kohli scored yet another hundred in a chase, an unbeaten 154, as India hunted down 286 to take a 2-1 lead in the ODI series

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:44

Agarkar: India overdependent on Kohli while chasing

Virat Kohli scored yet another hundred in a chase, an unbeaten 154, as India hunted down 286 to take a 2-1 lead in the ODI series. India lost their openers with only 41 on the board, before Kohli and MS Dhoni, who promoted himself to No. 4, added 151 for the third wicket to bring the equation down to 94 from 85 balls. New Zealand may have sensed an opening, given the inexperience of India’s middle order, but Manish Pandey showed no nerves in adding an unbroken 97 with Kohli to steer India home with 10 balls remaining.The team batting second had won each of the last three ODIs in Mohali before this, chasing down 299, 258 and 304. Given that recent trend, given the likelihood of dew setting in under lights, and given Kohli’s record in chases, New Zealand probably needed at least 300 to test India on a flat batting surface with true bounce.They looked like they would get there, when a 73-run second-wicket partnership between Tom Latham and Ross Taylor took them to 153 for 2 in the 29th over, but a middle-order collapse cost them what turned out to be a significant amount of momentum. They lost six wickets for 46 runs in the space of 9.2 overs. James Neesham and Matt Henry added 84 for the ninth wicket to rejuvenate their innings, but their total of 285 was probably 20 runs short of posing India a serious challenge.Then they did the unthinkable: Kohli was on 6 when he opened his bat face to try and dab Henry to third man. He was probably looking to place the ball finer than he did, but ended up steering it straight to Taylor at wide slip. Tumbling to his right, Taylor dropped a regulation low catch.Either side of that, though, they sent back Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, and prompted Dhoni to walk in earlier than he usually does in ODIs. With Kohli and Dhoni at the crease, plenty of hard running was to be expected, but they also found the boundary regularly, going after Mitchell Santner and Neesham to hit four fours and a six from overs 15 to 18. The six, sent soaring over long-off against Santner’s left-arm spin, took Dhoni to 9000 ODI runs. He became the 17th player overall, the fifth Indian, and the third wicketkeeper to the mark.By the 26th over, both had brought up their fifties, and then Dhoni welcomed Neesham’s reintroduction with a straight six that hit the sightscreen on the full, to become the most prolific ODI six-hitter among Indian batsmen. By the end of the 35th over, the target was less than 100 runs away.Dhoni fell on 80, chipping Henry to short cover when he rolled his fingers over the ball and got it to stop on the batsman. Santner sent down a tight 37th over, conceding only one run, and India suddenly needed 93 from 78, but Pandey showed he could be relied on to find the boundary in such circumstances, flat-batting a short ball from Henry back over the bowler’s head, and targeting the same boundary in more conventional fashion against Neesham, off a fuller ball.By now, Kohli had stepped up a gear as well. When Tim Southee brought fine leg into the circle, he used his wrists to take a hip-high ball from middle stump and whip it wide of the fielder, and was impressed enough with his own shot to pump his fist. His reaction was far more muted when he guided Neesham for a single to third man to bring up his hundred at the start of the next over, just a simple lift of the bat to the crowd.Then, in the 48th over, came a typical flurry of late boundaries, against Trent Boult: three fours – the best of them an open-faced jab off a near-yorker to beat deep point to his left – and a straight six. It left India just one run to get, and Pandey finished by slugging Southee to the midwicket boundary.Replacing Anton Devcich in New Zealand’s line-up, James Neesham scored 57 off 47 balls to lift New Zealand to 285•Associated PressSent in to bat on a pitch where the ball came on and allowed batsmen to play freely on the up, New Zealand’s openers made their best start of the series. They were watchful initially, scoring only 12 in the first three overs, before Martin Guptill walked down the track to the first ball of the fourth and launched Hardik Pandya for a massive six over long-on. That shot set the tone for an abrupt change of gear: Guptill hit two fours and another six in the next two overs, and Tom Latham joined him by pulling Umesh Yadav over the square-leg boundary.Just when Guptill seemed set for a big innings, Umesh had him lbw, nipping one back just enough to beat his inside edge. Kane Williamson looked in sublime touch after his hundred in Delhi, timing his drives sweetly until he fell against the run of play, lbw trying to sweep Kedar Jadhav.Taylor began scratchily, struggling to pierce the infield against Amit Mishra and Axar Patel, but having only scored 14 off his first 28 balls, he began to find some fluency, hitting two fours and a slog-swept six to move to 44 off 56. His partnership with Latham, who got his second half-century of the series, had moved past 70, and New Zealand’s score had crossed the 150-run mark.Just then, Mishra produced two beautiful, dipping legbreaks to have both Taylor and Luke Ronchi stumped. At the other end, Corey Anderson and Latham chipped Jadhav to fielders inside the circle. Santner popped a leading edge, off Jasprit Bumrah, to point, and Tim Southee inside-edged Umesh onto his stumps.At 199 for 8, New Zealand were in danger of getting bowled out a long way short of 50 overs, but Neesham and Henry delayed it. Neesham worked out a sensible method to score his runs, his first three boundaries all struck with a straight bat down the ground, and Henry, at the other end, went after anything wide – slashing and punching Umesh for two fours – while defending anything on his stumps.As the slog overs approached, Umesh’s old failings resurfaced, as short balls followed wide length balls that allowed the batsmen to free their arms. In the 47th over, Neesham stood tall and pulled him through midwicket before slicing a wide-ish ball to the third-man boundary to bring up his half-century. Henry hit him for a six and two fours off successive balls in the 49th over, and Umesh ended with figures of 3 for 75. New Zealand were bowled out with two balls still left to play, but managed to score 285.

Newcastle United have been offered Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, who has just concluded a short-term loan spell with Premier League strugglers Chelsea.

What's the latest on Joao Felix to Newcastle?

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle have been handed the opportunity to sign the mercurial Felix after new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino opted against signing the 23-year-old this summer.

Felix joined the Blues in January in a £10m loan deal but failed to pull the club out of their seasonal rut, now returning to his Atletico boss Diego Simeone out of favour and in search of another departure from Wanda Metropolitano.

Paris Saint-Germain have also been handed the chance to sign the dynamic frontman and could take the lead in the race, with Felix's £215k-per-week wages likely to be a stumbling block in a deal for Eddie Howe's outfit.

Should Newcastle sign Joao Felix?

Toon technical director Dan Ashworth could have a hard time completing a deal for Felix this summer given his exorbitant salary, but the opportunity to complete a loan deal is no doubt tantalising after qualifying for the Champions League.

Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, Newcastle's current strikeforce, are a prolific and menacing duo and have both excelled this season at providing a reliable offensive threat and navigating toward a monumental top-four finish, but Felix would offer a new dimension to the attack.

As per FBref, the former Benfica prodigy ranks among the top 8% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, and the top 5% for progressive passes, progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

This highlights how much effective work Felix plies for his team; not the most prolific of strikers, he has yet to hit double digits in a top-five European league divisional season, the 30-cap gem instead opens space and enhances the prospects of those around him.

Hailed as a "beautiful player" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his prowess on the ball, Felix could emulate the role of Liverpool's iconic forward Roberto Firmino.

The distinguished Brazilian has departed Anfield on a free transfer this summer after making 362 appearances, scoring 111 and supplying 79 assists – bathing in illustrious success, gleaning the Premier League and Champions League among other major honours.

Firmino's distinctive style slightly deeper than that of a traditional centre-forward, with greater emphasis on weaving the midfield and attack together and opening opportunities for inside forwards to wreak havoc – Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah step forward – could pay dividends if emulated effectively on Tyneside. Indeed, it is that very role that the aforementioned Felix appears to thrive in.

Howe and Ashworth must consider whether a move is viable and determine whether to swoop, but if utilised aptly, Felix could draft a new dimension to Newcastle's thriving squad and enrich the offensive fluidity.