Newcastle United have enjoyed a remarkable start to the 2022/23 Premier League campaign as they currently sit fourth in the table after 13 matches.

Eddie Howe's side have only lost once in the top-flight so far and are battling for a place in Europe as it stands, although they have 25 outings left to sustain their form.

Dan Ashworth could dip into the transfer market during the January window to further bolster the manager's squad in order to give him the best possible chance of securing a place in the Europa League, or even the Champions League.

One player who he could bring in to improve the side is Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Kouadio Kone.

The Magpies were reportedly keen on signing him in the summer but it was claimed at the time that they may have to wait until 2023 to convince the Bundesliga side to cash in.

PIF must now sanction a January deal for the Frenchman by handing the necessary funds to Ashworth to snap him up from the German outfit.

The Toon owners could complete Newcastle's midfield by doing so as Kone could form an impressive trio by playing alongside two of the current first-team stars.

Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes have been the standout performers in the middle of the park this season. They have averaged SofaScore ratings of 7.08 and 7.32 respectively, whilst Joe Willock's score of 6.82 is the next highest - ahead of Sean Longstaff's 6.77.

Kone averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.91 in the Bundesliga last season across 26 appearances in the division. He has averaged a score of 6.70 this term but that could be put down to his age as he is still trying to find consistency in his game after turning 21 earlier this year.

The gem, who is reportedly valued at €45m (£39m), was a machine in the middle of the park last term as he made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game whilst winning 59% of his individual duels.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously described him as a "monstrous" player in the making and hailed him as a "one-man army" after a particularly impressive performance against Bayern Munich last term.

That praise from Kulig was backed up by Kone's aforementioned statistics in the Bundesliga as the 21-year-old proved his defensive quality in midfield. He showed that he can consistently win the ball back for his team whilst putting in strong performances and not being bullied by opposition players.

At the age of 21, he is also a player who Howe can work with on the training pitch over the course of a number of years to ensure that he fulfils his potential and is an upgrade on the likes of Willock and Longstaff, with his performances last season suggesting that he has the scope to do so.

The English coach could help the gem to add consistency to his game so that the Frenchman can complete Newcastle's midfield by being a monster next to Joelinton and Guimaraes in the Premier League for many years to come.