Newcastle United are reportedly one of the clubs who are interested in a move for Ajax sensation, Mohammed Kudus, with the Tynesiders having seemingly made an enquiry regarding the Ghanian's availability.
What's the word?
According to 90min, the Magpies are believed to have 'asked about' the 22-year-old's situation in Amsterdam following the forward's starring role for his country at the World Cup, with the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all named as potential suitors.
This follows previous reports over the summer which claimed that the 20-cap starlet was a target for sporting director Dan Ashworth, while fellow Premier League side Everton are believed to have seen a £15m offer rebuffed in the recent window.
The latest suggestion - as per 90min - is that the former Nordsjaelland man could now command a fee of around £30m in January, with a host of clubs across Europe also believed to have shown an interest in his signature.
Seedorf-esque
As stated above, the 5-foot-9 speedster has made a sparkling start to the ongoing tournament in Qatar, having notably netted twice during the Black Stars' recent triumph over South Korea to help bolster their hopes of progression to the knockout stages.
That brilliance brace has come following what has been a stunning run of form for the Accra-born gem in the early months of the campaign at club level, having netted ten times in just 21 appearances in all competitions for the Eredivisie giants.
Lauded as a "goal machine" by journalist Akosua Adjei, Kudus has notably showcased his talents on the Champions League stage of late, memorably firing in a breathtaking strike in the win over Rangers on matchday one after shrugging off opposition defender, James Tavernier.
Such moments of quality at the elite level for both club and country have unsurprisingly captured the attention of a growing list of suitors, although the youngster has seemingly been tipped for greatness in the past, having even been compared to Dutch footballing legend, Clarence Seedorf following his arrival at the Johan Cruyff Arena in 2020.
That was the verdict of club scout John Steen Olsen, who said at the time:
“Kudus can play in all positions in midfield anyway, but he can also play in the striker in the front or on the right. That makes him so interesting. He looks a bit like a young Clarence Seedorf."
That is notable praise considering the career that the now-retired ace would enjoy, with the 46-year-old having racked up over 850 appearances across spells at the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan, as well as for Ajax.
That glittering journey saw the commanding midfielder - who featured 87 times for his country - win the Champions League on four occasions, while being the only man to win the competition with three different clubs.
To be compared to such an iconic figure in European football is likely to be noteworthy as far as those back at St James' Park are concerned, with manager Eddie Howe likely to relish the chance to get to work with a Seedorf-esque talent, should Ashworth manage to get a deal over the line.