An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their interest in Amine Gouiri heading into the summer transfer window...

What's the talk?

The i Paper's Mark Douglas has confirmed that PIF are eyeing up a swoop for the Nice attacker ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, tweeting: "#nufc scout Amine Gouiri, highly-rated Nice striker."

Douglas' accompanying article states that the Tyneside club are in the market for a centre-forward this summer, with the 22-year-old a player they are scouting.

The Frenchman is reportedly valued at £30m by the Ligue 1 outfit, although it remains to be seen how much the Premier League side are willing to pay for his services.

Howe's own Benzema

Journalist Evan Barlett dubbed Gouiri the "new Benzema", and the comparison is an easy one to make. Both strikers came through the ranks at the Lyon academy and Gouiri appears to be on his way to reaching the top level, where Benzema has been showcasing his quality for many years.

In the current Real Madrid maestro's last Ligue 1 season for Lyon in 2008/09, he scored 17 goals and provided four assists in 36 games.

Meanwhile, Gouiri was directly involved in 19 league goals last term and has caught the eye again in 2021/22 as he has proven that he can score and set up goals on a regular basis - as shown in the graphic below, with stats via SofaScore.

The 22-year-old phenomenon has been in fine form and is showing that he has the potential to become an elite player, just like his fellow countryman.

Benzema managed a direct goal contribution roughly every 132 minutes in his last Ligue 1 campaign. Gouiri has managed one every 149 minutes for Nice this term, which suggests that there is not a great deal of difference between their productivity in those respective seasons in the French top flight.

After leaving Lyon, the now 34-year-old Benzema has gone on to score more than 300 goals for Real Madrid and has netted 44 goals in all competitions this season for the Spanish giants. This illustrates how much of an honour it is for the Nice predator to be compared with him and why his potential is so high.

Gouiri's statistics this season show that he is on the right path, and that is why Eddie Howe can land his own goalscoring and creating sensation, like Benzema, for Newcastle by securing a deal for the youngster. He has come up through the same youth system, plays in the same position and was born under an hour away from the city of Lyon - where the Real Madrid legend was born - in Bourgoin-Jallieu.

If the Magpies bring him in, it will then be down to the 22-year-old to fulfill his potential and prove that he has the ability to reach the very top level, competing for titles and being a star in the Champions League.

AND in other news, "NUFC will..": Ciaran Kelly delivers big transfer claim that'll excite supporters...