According to reports in the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are said to be eyeing a summer move for Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez following their return to the Premier League.

The Magpies promotion from the Championship was confirmed on Monday night when they beat Preston North End 4-1 at St James’ Park, and manager Rafa Benitez is already looking at the players he could bring to the club at the end of the season.

One of those individuals is said to be Rodriguez, who has been finding first team starts hard to come by under Saints boss Claude Puel as he struggles to recapture the form he showed before he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in 2014.

The Toon Army’s new top flight rivals West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace have also registered an interest in the 27-year-old who looks increasingly likely to leave St Mary’s.

Here are three reasons Newcastle should take a punt on Rodriguez…

He still has something to offer

Football Soccer Britain - Southampton v Sunderland - EFL Cup Fourth Round - St Mary's Stadium - 26/10/16 Southampton's Jay Rodriguez warms up before the match Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge 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 represe

Prior to his injury in 2014, Rodriguez was in brilliant form for Southampton and was in contention to be named in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the 2014 World Cup having made his Three Lions debut shortly before.

Even though he has struggled since to get a consistent run in the team since then, he has shown glimpses even this season that he still has plenty to offer in the Premier League, and it could turn out to be a good move for both parties.

He's a goalscorer

Britain Football Soccer - AFC Bournemouth v Southampton - Premier League - Vitality Stadium - 18/12/16 Southampton's Jay Rodriguez celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge 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

While Newcastle have scored plenty of goals in the Championship this season, they have sometimes relied too much on top goalscorer Dwight Gayle to find the back of the net.

Rafa Benitez will want to take some of the burden off of the former Crystal Palace man next term, and having scored 15 goals in 33 Premier League appearances in the 2013/14 campaign, Rodriguez has shown that he can be a regular scorer at this level.

He suits the counter attack

When Newcastle come up against some of the bigger sides in the Premier League next season, Rafa Benitez could choose to set his team up for the counter attack and it is something that would suit Rodriguez.

While he may not have the sharpness he had a few years ago, that could come with a consistent run in the starting line-up and that pace and incisiveness on the break could be crucial to helping the Magpies get results.

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