'Howe likes him a lot' - Italian media claim Newcastle want to sign Lazio star

All the talk heading into the summer has centred around a right-winger, new centre-back, potential Callum Wilson replacement and the idea of a young goalkeeper arriving to push Nick Pope.

However, few links have surfaced around the need for another midfielder, which could well be needed for the purposes of squad depth ahead of our return to Europe.

This brings us nicely to a familiar name currently playing in Serie A who Eddie Howe is thought to be a big admirer of.

Lazio star on Newcastle's wish list?

According to reports in Italy, Newcastle are considering a summer move for Lazio's Matteo Guendouzi.

Tuttomercatoweb report that Eddie Howe 'likes him a lot' from a technical and tactical point of view and is a long-term admirer of the former Arsenal talent.

They claim the 25-year-old is one of our top midfield targets as we look to bolster our engine room ahead of a return to European football, adding that the Frenchman was wanted by the club before he left Marseille for Serie A.

A snippet from their piece states: 'Newcastle are still looking to the summer with the idea of ​​strengthening themselves. And among the names for the midfield, keep an eye on that of Matteo Guendouzi .

'The curly-haired Lazio midfielder was already pursued by the Magpies before his arrival in Rome, he is a profile that Howe himself likes a lot from a technical and tactical point of view and who, in view of the summer, is among the very first names on the notebook of a team that is chasing and dreaming of a place in the Champions League.'

Another midfielder needed

When they are all fit and firing, our midfield trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton are up there with the best in the Premier League.

However, behind that we have Sean Longstaff - who could leave this summer with 12 months left on his contract - an out of form Joe Willock and an 18-year-old Lewis Miley.

We need greater strength in depth and we're yet to replace Elliot Anderson following his move to Nottingham Forest last summer, so the arrival of another capable option superior to Longstaff and more reliable than Willock could and should be targeted to boost our hopes of competing on four fronts next season.