According to reports in The Sun, Newcastle United are confident that they could sign Manchester City midfielder Fernando for just £5m this summer, although they could face competition from Premier League rivals Southampton and Bournemouth for the Brazilian, who is rated at £8m by City.

The Sun states that the 29-year-old has fallen down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola and will leave the Etihad this summer, three years after he joined the club for £12m.

The Brazilian has made 101 appearances in all competitions for City since 2014, but he made just five starts in the Premier League last term and has just a year remaining on his contract.

Magpies manager Rafa Benitez is keen to significantly strengthen his squad this summer following their promotion from the Championship, as he looks for his side to avoid being involved in a top flight relegation battle as they were two seasons ago.

Here are three reasons Newcastle must win the race to sign Fernando…

Premier League experience

Britain Football Soccer - Swansea City v Manchester City - EFL Cup Third Round - Liberty Stadium - 21/9/16
Manchester City's Fernando in action with Swansea City's Leon Britton 
Reuters / Rebecca Naden
Livepic
EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representa

Benitez will know that he needs to add some players with Premier League experience to his squad this summer in order to boost their chances of avoiding a relegation battle, and Fernando certainly ticks that box.

The 29-year-old has made 63 English top flight appearances – and 101 in total for the club – and would bring a real know-how to the centre of the park for Newcastle.

Central midfield can be a key area in Premier League matches as we have seen by the fact that N’Golo Kante won the 2016/17 PFA Player of the Year, and Fernando certainly has the quality to be a success there for the Mapgies.

Price tag

Britain Football Soccer - Manchester City v Arsenal - Premier League - Etihad Stadium - 18/12/16 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil in action with Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta and Fernando  Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your acco

If Newcastle really do believe they could get Fernando for £5m – which is entirely plausible given that he is 29 years of age and has just one year left on his Manchester City contract – they know they must get the deal done.

To sign a midfielder who has been there and done it for FC Porto and been a key player at times for City over the course of the last three seasons would be priceless, and he could prove to be one of the bargain buys of the summer if he helps Newcastle avoid a relegation scrap next term.

Winning mentality

Fernando won 12 titles during his time with FC Porto and after adding the 2016 League Cup to that collection following his move to Manchester City, there is no doubt that he has the winning mentality.

That mindset will mean that he would be an influential figure in the middle of the park for Newcastle as he certainly isn’t used to losing, and that can only be a positive influence on his teammates as Rafa Benitez looks to lead the Magpies to a successful campaign on their return to the Premier League.

Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.