The summer transfer window is now officially underway and Newcastle United will be looking to improve their squad in the next few months.
Eddie Howe was busy in January as he worked without a full-time sporting director, bringing in Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes on permanent deals.
The club recently announced the appointment of Dan Ashworth as the club's sporting director to help the head coach and he will now be working to bring in fresh recruits to bolster their Premier League squad.
One player the club are reportedly lining up a swoop for this summer is Serbia international midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Lazio are said to want at least €70m (£60m) for the midfielder and the Magpies have already failed with one approach to land him.
Instant Ashworth blinder
By securing a deal to sign the gem in the coming months, Ashworth can land an instant masterclass after taking up his role at St. James' Park.
The midfielder would be a sensational signing who would represent a real coup for the club, which is why bringing him in would be a blinder from the former Brighton chief.
Milinkovic-Savic's form in Italy suggests that he would be an incredible addition to the team as he has shown that he can deliver to a high level on a consistent basis.
In the 2021/22 Serie A campaign, he produced 11 goals and 11 assists in 36 starts for Lazio as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.28.
The Serbian managed eight goals and nine assists in the previous league season and this shows that he has proven his quality in the final third.
Meanwhile, no Newcastle player managed more than eight goals or five assists in the Premier League in 2021/22. This suggests that the 27-year-old would come in and be a huge upgrade on Howe's current options in the attacking areas of the pitch.
Parma's sporting director Demetrio Albertini previously hailed the Lazio star, saying: "Milinković-Savić has the characteristics of a great champion; he has extraordinary elegance."
These comments suggest that he also has the mentality to make it at the top level, as a high-ranking Italian chief believes that he has a champion's mindset. Newcastle would be bringing in a winner who has proven his quality in a major European league.
Therefore, Ashworth will be pulling off a blinder by sealing a deal for the midfielder this summer and must now ensure that he can win the race for Milinkovic-Savic's signature.