An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United's pursuit of Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz...

What's the talk?

According to The Mirror, the Magpies are plotting a £2om move for the Championship predator as Eddie Howe looks to improve his attacking options.

The report claims that Newcastle are ready to table a bid to test Blackburn's resolve, but it remains to be seen whether or not £20m will be enough to convince Rovers to part ways with the Chile international.

Could save Newcastle's season

Nick Hammond could save Newcastle's season by securing a deal to sign Brereton Diaz in the January transfer window as his goalscoring ability could win vital points for Howe's side.

The Magpies are 19th in the Premier League table and two points off 17th place, although the two teams ahead of them both have games in hand which could see the gap widen. Goalscoring has been one of the factors behind their failures, with Allan Saint-Maximin (four) and Callum Wilson (six) the only players with more than one league strike to their name.

This suggests that they need another player who can come in and contribute with goals to help them avoid the drop, and that is where Brereton Diaz comes in. He has scored an outstanding 20 goals in 25 Championship outings for Blackburn this term and is showing that he can find the net at an impressive rate in the second tier.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray previously heaped praise on the attacker, saying: "You saw what I saw today; Brereton with the ball at his feet is an extraordinary talent. He's a wonderful footballer who can dribble with both feet, take people out of the game.

"He's still a boy, and as I've just said to him in the dressing room, this is a working class town. These people earn their money and pay hard money to come and watch you play and they expect you to fight for every ball, put your head in for every ball and fight for every tackle."

These quotes highlight both the 22-year-old's quality and his mentality, showing that he has the mindset required to perform in a relegation dogfight. Newcastle's dire situation in the Premier League could be a challenge for the striker that he would be capable of taking on, with Mowbray explaining what is required of him at Blackburn.

Coupled with his exceptional knack for finding the back of the net, it suggests that the Chile star could come in and help save Newcastle's season. He could supply the goalscoring threat that they have been lacking aside from Saint-Maximin and Wilson and earn vital draws or wins which could see the Magpies avoid the drop, which is why Hammond must work hard to try and get this deal done.

AND in other news, Hammond can seal instant January masterclass with Newcastle swoop for "strong" £12m monster...