Newcastle have been linked with a move for Schalke's Nabil Bentaleb and according to The Times' Martin Hardy, the deal could be completed very soon.

What's the latest?

The Magpies have been scouring the transfer market for central midfielders this month but so far have come up short in their approach for Leicester's Hamza Choudhury.

Nice's Wylan Cyprien was another touted but it seems that targeting Bentaleb may just pay off, with the 25-year-old reportedly set to undergo a medical that will see him join until the end of the season.

In a tweet Hardy wrote:

Watch Newcastle United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Astute signing

The addition of the Algeria international ticks a lot of boxes for Newcastle and has the potential to serve them well for the rest of the season and perhaps beyond, too.

After spending significant sums, £16.5m on Allan Saint-Maximin and £40m on Joelinton in the summer, it is understandable if Mike Ashley isn't keen to throw loads more money at Steve Bruce.

It seems that the Magpies' boss is, as a result, having to take the loan route to bring in reinforcements, but given Bentaleb's pedigree and what he has produced in a relatively short career, bringing him in should fill supporters with optimism.

Who the heck is that?! Can you name all 25 of these obscure Newcastle signings...

He has played 66 times for Tottenham and really impressed when he first arrived in Germany, scoring seven goals and making five assists in his first campaign abroad to earn a £16m move.

It may not have worked out for him this term with two appearances made but Bruce has got the best out of a lot of players so far, including his midfielders.

Jonjo Shelvey has looked rejuvenated with five goals to his name while Isaac Hayden has also been very effective with 2.4 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, as well as scoring the winning goal against Chelsea on Saturday.

As a result, Bentaleb could be a good fit at St. James' Park and the loan spell will allow Bruce to assess whether to make a permanent move for him. With his contract set to expire in 2021 he might well be cheaper to acquire over the summer months.

That alone should provide the player with enough motivation to work hard and impress, and if he offers that Newcastle may reap the rewards.

Meanwhile, another player Newcastle have been linked with could have quite and effect on the rest of the team.