Newcastle United remain interested in signing Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara after the Magpies failed in securing the 22-year-old's signature in January.

What's the story?

According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle still believe in the possibility of luring the Frenchman to St. James' Park after a failed attempt in the winter window.

Kamara has been a regular for the Ligue 1 outfit this term, racking up 33 appearances across all competitions already this campaign.

However, Eddie Howe's side will face competition from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid who are reportedly leading the race for the young French star.

Newcastle must sign Kamara

With the January addition of Bruno Guimaraes already bulking up the Magpies' midfield, the signing of Kamara would seriously bolster the Tyneside outfit's quality in the middle of the park.

With the £46k-per-week starlet being regularly deployed as a defensive midfielder for Marseille, Newcastle's back-line would have extra protection with Les Phocéens third in Ligue 1 and one of the best defensive units thanks partially to the contributions of Kamara.

Moreover, it would allow the possibility of Guimaraes being utilised in a more offensive position which would certainly please Howe.

The 24-year-old has already shown quality in the box with a sublime finish against Southampton on Thursday night to get off the mark in Newcastle colours.

There is certainly plenty of excitement surrounding the 22-year-old Frenchman, with former Marseille teammate Rolando stating: “This kid is a phenomenon.

"When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one, I said, no, but this little one is going to be a great player. He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary”

According to SofaScore, the midfielder has been a major presence in the middle of the park for Marseille this term, averaging 78.1 touches per league game whilst also enjoying a 90% passing accuracy in the French top-flight.

From a defensive aspect, the Frenchman is also providing two tackles a game as well as 1.1 interceptions and one clearance.

It's no secret that the North-East club are looking to invest heavily with safety looking more secure every game and signing one of Europe's most exciting prospects would certainly fit the blueprint provided by the new ownership structure.

However, Kamara certainly won't come cheap after it was reported that Marseille were holding out for €40m two summers ago, meaning that their asking price will certainly be significantly higher this time around.

AND in other news, Forget Bruno: £35k-p/w Newcastle dynamo with 90% duels won was Howe's unsung hero...