An update has emerged on Newcastle United's pursuit of Luka Sucic in the summer transfer window...
What's the talk?
Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Magpies have held talks over a deal to sign the young gem ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The reporter has stated that the Toon head coach is in the market for a player in his position and the 19-year-old fits the bill.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s gone a bit cold to be honest. I was told they had meetings with him and had him on the list. They wanted to bring him in. For Eddie Howe, one of the positions he wants to fill is a central midfielder who’s quite young, can come in quite cheap and be able to help build.”
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic 2.0
Dan Ashworth must now reignite the talks to land Sucic this summer as he can be Howe's own version of Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Football scout Jacek Kulig previously compared him to the Serie A machine, along with Napoli's Fabian Ruiz, and said that he is a "joy to watch", recently dubbing him a "precious" gem.
Milinkovic-Savic has proven himself at the top level with Lazio and is an exceptional midfielder. In the Italian top-flight last term, he managed 11 goals and 11 assists in 37 games after eight goals and nine assists in the previous campaign.
Newcastle can now unearth the new, according to Kulig, version of the Serbia international by landing the 19-year-old Croatian gem.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, Sucic produced eight goals and three assists in 19 starts for Salzburg as he showcased his ability to make things happen in the final third. He has shown, at that level, that he can break forward from midfield and be a difference-maker for his side.
These statistics show that the teenager has the scope to be a goalscoring midfielder in the Premier League, like Milinkovic-Savic is in Italy, if he is able to adapt to English football. The youngster has time on his side and can develop whilst playing and training alongside Bruno Guimaraes - helping him to fulfil his potential.
He can be a player the club look to improve over time so that he can grow alongside Newcastle as they aim to move further up the table.
Therefore, Ashworth must seal a deal for the gem who will reportedly cost €20m (£17m), to bolster Howe's squad now and for many more years to come.