Newcastle United are on the verge of securing Champions League football for the 2023/24 campaign as they only need a point against Leicester on Monday night to confirm it.

They are currently three points clear of Liverpool and have two matches left to play, whilst they have one, and this means that avoiding defeat against the Foxes would put them out of reach heading into the final day.

This would be a significant achievement for the Magpies and it could give them the edge in the transfer market this summer as they would have elite European football on offer.

It was recently reported that Newcastle and Liverpool have both sent scouts to watch Sporting central midfielder Manuel Ugarte in action and Eddie Howe's side landing a top-four place ahead of them could provide an advantage in the race for his signature.

Who is Manuel Ugarte?

The 22-year-old, who has a release clause of €60m (£52m) in his contract, is a defensive-minded player who could come in and be the club's own answer to Manchester City star Rodri.

Since arriving in the Premier League in 2019, the Spain international has been a consistent presence in Pep Guardiola's midfield with his ability to screen in front of the back four whilst also having the ability in possession to be incredibly reliable with his passing.

As per Sofascore, Rodri has played 34 times in the top-flight this season and completed an eye-catching 91% of his attempted passes. He has also made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won 59% of his physical duels, which shows that he is a strong defender who wins the majority of his battles in the middle of the park.

Ugarte, meanwhile, has featured in 30 matches in Liga Portugal and completed 92% of his passes. The Uruguay enforcer, who was once hailed as a "machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also made a stunning 5.7 tackles and interceptions per outing and won 56% of his contests.

These statistics indicate that the eight-cap international has the potential to replicate the impact that Rodri has on City at Newcastle as he is a defensive midfielder who does not cede possession often and is able to win the ball back on a regular basis.

The Sporting star's impressive pass completion - which almost mirrors the Spanish battler and his output - proves that he is a reliable passer who can anchor the Toon midfield and be their metronome in the middle of the park - distributing the ball to the attacking players to keep things ticking and to create attacking opportunities.

Both players have also won at least 67% of their aerial battles in their respective leagues and this shows that they are excellent competitors in the air and that could be vital when it comes to defending and attacking set-pieces as they are able to dominate opposition players in those positions.

Therefore, the Magpies must swoop for Ugarte, who Kulig also once described as "tenacious", this summer as the youngster could develop into Howe's answer to Rodri in the defensive midfield role in the years to come.