Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth could be looking to raid former club Brighton and Hove Albion this summer, amid reports that the Magpies are one of the clubs showing an interest in midfield maestro, Alexis Mac Allister.

What's the latest on Mac Allister to Newcastle?

According to 90min, the Tynesiders are among a host of Premier League teams who are closely monitoring the Argentine's situation at the Amex, with the report suggesting that the 24-year-old is looking to leave the Seagulls at the end of the season.

The 14-cap international - whose current deal is set to expire in 2025 - has attracted such intense interest as a result of his vital role in his nation's World Cup success last year, having played in six of the seven tournament games for the eventual winners.

As the piece outlines, while Brighton would be reluctant to cash in on the highly-coveted asset this summer, there may be a willingness to sell provided the price is right, with CBS reporter Ben Jacobs previously revealing that Roberto De Zerbi and co could be set to demand more than £60m.

How could Mac Allister fit in at Newcastle?

As noted above, Mac Allister truly put himself on the map as a result of his displays for his country in Qatar, having arguably been "one of the best players" at the tournament, according to his club boss.

That form has also been replicated in the Premier League with the former Argentinos Juniors ace - who arrived in England on a £7m deal back in 2019 - having already scored seven goals from his midfield berth from 21 appearances, while also providing one assist in that time.

The gifted playmaker - who has been branded a "baller" by Statman Dave - has showcased his all-round quality after also averaging 2.4 tackles per game as a marker of his defensive prowess, as well as completing an impressive 72% of his total dribbles.

Such standout form has contributed to the £50k-per-week ace achieving an average match rating of 7.23 so far this term in the top-flight, as per Sofascore, with that only bettered by Kieran Trippier (7.74) among those at St James' Park - excluding Martin Dubravka (7.60) who has made just a solitary league outing.

Adding such a classy individual to Eddie Howe's ranks could allow the former Bournemouth boss to fashion a truly mouthwatering midfield partnership involving Mac Allister and current talisman, Bruno Guimaraes.

The latter man has emerged as a leading presence for the northeast side since arriving from Lyon back in January 2022, scoring nine goals and laying on four assists in just 44 games in all competitions from his deep-lying berth.

A goal threat like Mac Allister, the Brazilian also mirrors his fellow South American star in being able to offer a real ball-winning presence in the centre of the park, showcased by the fact that the 25-year-old averages 2.2 tackles per game from his 19 league appearances this season.

To have two individuals who can impact proceedings at both ends of the pitch working in tandem would certainly allow Newcastle to push on even further next season, with Ashworth needing to utilise his Brighton connections in order to get a deal over the line.