Newcastle United's impressive early season form could well have strengthened their hand heading into the January transfer window, with the Magpies seemingly now a more appealing destination for potential targets.

What's the word?

That's according to transfer insider Dean Jones - speaking to GIVEMESPORT - who suggested that the Tynesiders may well now prove a direct rival for the Premier League's established elite when it comes to recruiting top talent.

The respected journalist stated: "I think Newcastle have put themselves in a wonderful position very, very quickly, and that they could almost attract the sort of players now, that the traditional top four or five could.”

The St James' Park outfit are currently third in the table having put themselves firmly in the mix for Champions League qualification come the end of the season, with that remarkable rise having potentially come sooner than expected following the change of ownership just over a year ago.

Repeat Bruno masterclass

The northeast side's new-found appeal has already been evident in the calendar year thus far during PIF's time at the helm, with the club having notably pulled off a coup with the addition of Lyon gem, Bruno Guimaraes back in January.

The Brazilian sensation - who is in his nation's squad for the World Cup in Qatar - was snapped up by Eddie Howe and co for a fee of around £40m, having reportedly opted against a move to Arsenal in favour of joining his current side.

That deal provided an early indication of the club's impressive pull, with the 25-year-old having since gone on to blossom in his new surroundings, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in 29 league outings in his time at the club thus far.

Newcastle - who also secured the notable, club-record capture of Alexander Isak in the summer - could well be hoping to replicate that masterclass with more high-profile additions in the New Year, with their current standing having only served to bolster their chances of getting quality assets through the door.

The recent suggestion is that the likes of Moussa Diaby, James Maddison and Mykhaylo Mudryk could well be some of the names that Howe's side are targeting in the upcoming window, with further depth potentially needed to maintain this current top-four surge.

As Jones alluded to, the chances of completing such deals have been raised by this rampant start to the season, with the so-called 'Big Six' clubs likely to be wary of being edged out by the ambitious Magpies outfit in the race for possible targets.

As the case of Guimaraes illustrates, the club are already able to attract big-name talent despite this exciting project still being in its infancy, with the hope now that they can replicate that masterclass in January. Should they do so, it would no doubt be an eventuality that Howe would love.