Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Youssoufa Moukoko to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.
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That's according to Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, who revealed in a recent interview with Sky Deutschland that, with just six months remaining on the 18-year-old's current contract at Signal Iduna Park, and with the centre-forward being yet to accept a new deal proposed by the Bundesliga side, there is a real chance that Moukoko leaves the club this summer.
The 63-year-old's comments came shortly after a report by German media outlet Sport1, who claimed that Newcastle are attempting to lure the teenager away from BVB with a basic salary offer of €9m (£8m) - roughly £154k a week - in addition to a €30m (£26.5m) signing on bonus, while Dortmund are believed to only be willing to offer a €10m (£9m) signing bonus.
Regarding the future of the Germany international, Watzke said: "It is legitimate that he is now trying to get a good position for himself. But it is just as legitimate that we have our ideas and if that is not congruent, then the cooperation will just not be continued.
"That is the ultimate consequence, which can also happen. But of course, we hope that he stays with us. I think the whole process is quite normal. The difference is simply that he is only 18 years old and was already at the World Cup. This of course makes the whole thing even more public."
Haaland 2.0
Considering the generational talent Moukoko very much appears to be, Watzke's admission that the 18-year-old could leave Dortmund in the summer, coupled with the news that Newcastle are prepared to triple the signing on bonus the Bundesliga side are willing to offer the centre-forward is undoubtedly fantastic news for the Premier League club.
Indeed, after scoring a breathtaking 142 goals and providing a further 27 assists over 90 appearances in Dortmund's youth sides and second team - averaging a direct goal involvement every 46 minutes of football played - the teenager has continued his astronomical rise to stardom upon his promotion to the first team squad this season.
Over his 14 Bundesliga fixtures in the current campaign - only eight of which have come as starts - the £26.5m-rated talent has already scored six goals, registered four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.9 shots - 1.1 of which have hit the target - making 0.5 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.
These returns have seen the £800-per-week wonderkid average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.89, currently ranking him as Edin Terzic's joint 11th-best performer in the German top flight.
Rather unsurprisingly, Moukoko's returns in the final third have seen the youngster earn comparisons to another of Dortmund's former sensations, Erling Haaland, who himself praised the German starlet back in 2020, stating: "I think he's the biggest talent in the world right now. 16 years and 1 day, that's quite amazing. He has a big career ahead of him."
As such, should Howe manage to get a deal for Moukoko over the line this summer, not only would the 45-year-old coach look to have landed a once-in-a-generation talent, but he could also have unearthed the Premier League's next Haaland-esque goal-machine - something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the Magpies.