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Newcastle are reportedly one of two Premier League clubs chasing Nottingham Forest’s Joe Lolley, but is he better than what the Magpies already have?

What's the story?

According to The Mirror (16:42), Newcastle and Fulham are both eyeing a move for Lolley, who scored one and assisted four in Forest’s incredible 5-5 draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The 26 year-old attacker has been superb for Aitor Karanka’s side since joining from Huddersfield for just £450,000, and the report claims both Premier League sides are “weighing up bids” for January.

Forest are desperate to keep hold of the red-hot Lolley, but may be forced to sell after splashing £25m on a whopping 17 new signings this summer.

Where would he fit?

Like Rafael Benitez, Karanka usually opts for a 4-2-3-1 with Forest, with Lolley able to occupy any of those three positions behind the striker.

This is the position Benitez has had the most trouble with on Tyneside, as the likes of Matt Ritchie, Kenedy and Ayoze Perez have not hit the ground running this season.

Lolley has seven goals and six assists so far this season, and while four of those assists came in a single match on Wednesday, his final product is far better than the Magpies’ current attacking crop.

He is excellent with the ball at his feet, able to cut in either direction and fire shots at goal. He averages 2.3 shots, 1.4 key passes and 1.5 successful dribbles per game this season, and every single of those stats is better than both Perez and Ritchie.

The report claims Lolley will cost around £5m, so should Newcastle pull the trigger? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…