Newcastle are set to make a move for Argentine winger Ivan Bella, according to reports from talkSPORT.

The 23-year-old is believed to have caught the attention of the Premier League club’s scouts following a string of impressive displays for his current club Velez Sarsfield.

His mixture of pace and trickery have seen him likened to Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria, who is one of the finest talents to emerge from South America in recent years.

With Velez currently playing in the second-tier of Argentine football, it’s unlikely that they will be able to reject any approach top European clubs, which has led to speculation that a fee of £3m would be accepted.

Portuguese outfit Benfica are believed to be pole position for Bella’s signature according to reports from within the nation.

The wide-man broke into the first-team set-up as his current club during 2008 and has gone on to make over 50 appearances.

He is not regarded a prolific goal scorer, but his vision and awareness have earned him much praise within the South American media.

Bella is yet to represent Argentina at senior level, but has made eight appearances for the U-20 team.