Howe makes Dominik Szoboszlai admission as Liverpool arrive for St James' Park clash

Eddie Howe has confirmed that Newcastle United had shown interest in Dominik Szoboszlai prior to his summer move to Liverpool.

A few months ago, Sky Sports in Germany reported that we'd sent scouts to watch him for RB Leipzig, with some suggesting he was our plan B to James Maddison; who ended up signing for Spurs.

In the end, it was Liverpool who activated his £60m release clause, where he's gone on to start in their opening two Premier League games against Chelsea and Bournemouth.

Speaking about the Hungarian ahead of his trip to St James' Park today, Howe admits "we liked him", but adds that "it would have been quite an expensive purchase for us." Here's what he had to say when quizzed on our reported interest:

"We liked him. He’s had a very good start to his career. 

"He’s captain of his country at a really young age, and that tells you about his mentality. 

"He’s a good technical player. It would have been quite an expensive purchase for us, so there is lots that goes into every transfer. But he is certainly one that we liked."