Newcastle now preparing £20m bid to bring Championship star to St James' Park - Report

Newcastle have turned their attention to Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz, according to The Mirror.

Tom Hopkinson, a chief sports reporter at the Sunday Mirror, claims that we are preparing to launch a £20m bid for the in-form striker.

Brereton Diaz has bagged an outstanding 20 goals in just 24 appearances in the Championship this season, becoming the quickest player to reach this milestone for Rovers since Alan Shearer did so during the 1994-95 campaign.

The report states that Blackburn are reluctant to lose their top scorer, who is currently spearheading a surprise promotion bid at Ewood Park, however it's said they are 'braced for offers' from St James' Park.

Eddie Howe is believed to be 'desperate' to bring in another striker after losing Callum Wilson to a calf injury that looks set to keep him sidelined until February.

He's 22, a Chilean international and in the form of his life after enjoying a real breakthrough season in the Championship, leaving him the second top scorer behind former Mag Aleksandar Mitrovic.

This could be a smart move. He looks capable of cutting it in the Premier League and would arrive in superb form, but he could also be an asset next season IF the worst happened and we were relegated.