Newcastle United are seemingly plotting to sign Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram, although the Magpies are set to face competition for the Frenchman's signature.
What's the word?
According to journalist Graeme Bailey - writing on Twitter - sporting director Dan Ashworth is said to be "very keen" to sign the 25-year-old in 2023, albeit with Serie A side Inter Milan attempting to win the race ahead of Premier League interest.
In the attached piece for 90min, the report outlines that the Italian giants are hoping to seal a pre-contract agreement next month ahead of a summer move, with the nine-cap gem having just six months left on his existing deal in Germany.
With Inter unwilling to fork out a transfer fee to sign the forward in January, however, that could well give Ashworth and co the advantage, with the player's £10m price tag believed to be well within the northeast side's budget.
The piece also claims that the Tynesiders are hoping to persuade the Parma-born ace to jump ship in the New Year, with the club believed to have already held 'positive' talks with Thuram's representatives.
Newcastle's own Haaland
The 6-foot-4 colossus has attracted such intense interest as a result of his scintillating form for the Bundesliga side this season, with the former Guingamp gem having scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 17 games in all competitions.
The towering ace - who can also feature off the flanks - has notably scored ten goals in just 15 games in the German top-flight, with only RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku having bettered that tally in the division to date (12).
That is a marker of just how prolific Thuram has been so far this term, although the current campaign has been no mere anomaly, as the "crazy" talent - as described by former teammate Denis Zakaria - now boasts 41 goals and 26 assists in 119 games in all competitions.
Bringing the dynamic asset to St James' Park would surely represent particularly astute business due to the bargain nature of the marksman's transfer fee, with the £53k-per-week menace only set to further enhance Newcastle's top four bid.
The signs are that the one-time Sochaux ace could well make an impact in English football, with the player seemingly sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities with Manchester City hotshot, Erling Haaland, as per FBref.
The Norwegian machine - who is also an imposing figure at 6-foot-5 - has successfully made the transition from life in the Bundesliga to the Premier League, recording a staggering haul of 24 goals in just 19 games across all fronts for the Etihad outfit, including 18 goals in only 13 league games.
To think that the Magpies could have their own version of such a ruthless presence is a truly mouthwatering prospect, with the two men alike as a result of their predatory nature in front of goal, with Thuram ranking in the top 8% in Europe among those in his position for total shots, while Haaland ranks in the top 5% in that metric.
Equally, the latter man is truly devastating from open play as he ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, with the Gladbach ace again not too far behind in that regard as he ranks in the top 6%.
Such a comparison should well have those back on Tyneside licking their lips, with it hard to ignore the prospect of landing a Haaland-esque talent on the cheap.