Toon scouts watch tough-tackling midfielder and Ligue 1 star remains of keen interest - Report

Newcastle are keeping a close eye on Sporting Lisbon's Manuel Ugarte and Nice's Khephren Thuram as our hunt for a new midfielder continues.

As revealed by The Mail, Toon scouts were in Lisbon on Sunday to watch their 2-1 win over Famalicão, with officials from Newcastle and Liverpool their to watch Ugarte.

The tough-tackling Uruguayan has been an important part of Ruben Amorim's team, with his physical style of play and technical ability making him perfectly suited for Premier League football.

As for Thuram - son of French World Cup winner Lilian - it's thought our recruitment team remain big admirers of the highly-rated midfielder destined for a big move this summer.

While Eddie Howe remains keen on Scott McTominay - who Man Utd are 'reluctant to sell at this stage' - buying exciting young talents from abroad with huge potential has served us well in recent windows, with the likes of Bruno, Botman and Isak all excelling.

The 22-year-old has been one of the standout performers in Ligue 1 this season and has also attracted interest from the likes of Liverpool; who are on the lookout for an alternative to Ream Madrid-bound Jude Bellingham.