According to recent reports, Newcastle United's reported interest in Leicester City playmaker James Maddison could see goalkeeper Martin Dubravka head in the other direction.
What's the word?
As per the Daily Mail, the Slovakia international could potentially be used as part of a swap deal to land the Foxes midfielder, with Brendan Rodgers' side believed to have 'shown an interest' in the 33-year-old this summer.
The report outlines how the Magpies had seen a bid in the region of £40m rejected for the England international, with further reports outlining that a subsequent £50m offer has also been rebuffed, with the Midlands side holding out for around £60m for the 25-year-old.
Dubravka's inclusion could then prove crucial in reaching an agreement between the two clubs - amid Financial Fair Play restrictions for the northeast side - with Leicester seemingly eyeing a replacement for Kasper Schmeichel, following the Dane's surprise switch to Ligue 1 side Nice.
Howe can rid himself of Dubravka
The use of the Newcastle stopper in the deal could well then be of great use to both parties, with Rodgers and co getting a Premier League-ready solution to help fill their goalkeeping void, while the Tynesiders will be able to rid themselves of a player who could well be surplus to requirements this summer.
The St James' Park outfit have acted to bring in former Burnley colossus Nick Pope so far this summer, with the indication being that the 30-year-old will be manager Eddie Howe's first-choice option this season.
With Karl Darlow and Mark Gillespie also in reserve, the former Bournemouth boss already has plenty of depth in his goalkeeping ranks, with it set to be no real setback if Dubravka is to be moved on before the September deadline.
While the former Sparta Prague man - who arrived in England on an initial loan deal four and a half years ago - did make 26 top-flight appearances last term, the £44k-per-week dud came in for criticism for his performances on occasion, with pundit Tim Sherwood labelling him "poor" following a mistake against Brighton last season.
His exit will also prove no real loss if it does lead to the arrival of the aforementioned Maddison, with the former Norwich City star undoubtedly set to be a major acquisition for the ambitious club if a deal can be struck.
Once labelled "world-class" by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for his set-piece quality, the £45m-rated ace has proven himself to be a hugely influential attacking force at the King Power Stadium in recent times, notably enjoying a particularly profitable 2021/22 campaign.
That stellar season on a personal note saw the one-cap gem net 12 goals and provide eight assists in 35 games across all competitions, while further showcasing his creative prowess by averaging 1.4 key passes per game.
That stunning form unsurprisingly saw the Coventry-born superstar record a hugely impressive average match rating of 7.32, as per SofaScore, with that figure higher than every member of the Newcastle squad last season bar Kieran Tripper - albeit with the latter man making just six top-flight appearances due to injury.
That illustrates just what vital figure Maddison can be for Howe's side for the forthcoming season, with there unlikely to be few tears shed if Dubravka is to be used to get the deal over the line.