Newcastle United won for the first time in five matches in the Premier League with a thumping 4-0 victory over Leicester City at St. James' Park on Saturday.
It was a big day for English forward Jacob Murphy as he scored his first two goals of the season in the win, taking his tally to two goals and four assists in 13 appearances.
The former Norwich winger has only scored five goals in the Premier League since the start of last season, and should be hoping that his performance against the Foxes helps him to kick on.
Eddie Howe, though, could land a huge upgrade on Murphy when the January transfer window opens for business, amid interest in a star from one of their rivals.
Newcastle plotting bid for West Ham star
According to the Mirror, the Newcastle United head coach is plotting a bid to sign Mohammed Kudus from Premier League rivals West Ham United.
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Transfer Focus
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The report claims that Arsenal and Liverpool are also in the race to land the Ghana international next month, which means that there is plenty of competition for his services.
It states that the Hammers have placed a whopping £90m price tag on the attacking midfielder's head, and that means that the Magpies would have to splash out a club-record fee to bring him to St. James' Park.
Mohammed Kudus for West Ham
The outlet adds that Newcastle would need to sell players in order to afford a swoop for the West Ham star, with Miguel Almiron said to be a prime candidate to be moved on.
Howe must push for the Magpies to bring in enough funds to facilitate a move for Kudus because he could come in as a huge upgrade on Murphy on the right flank.
Why Newcastle should sign Kudus
The Hammers signed the forward from Dutch giants Ajax in the summer of 2023 and he has proven himself to be a fantastic performer at Premier League level, and in Europe.
Kudus scored five goals and created three 'big chances' in nine appearances in the Europa League last term, whilst Murphy managed zero goals and one assist in three Champions League outings.
Mohammed Kudus celebrates for West Ham
The left-footed wizard, who was described as "unbelievable" by teammate Michail Antonio, also caught the eye with his performances in the English top-flight.
24/25 Premier League Mohammed Kudus Jacob Murphy
Appearances 33 21
Goals 8 3
xA 3.67 3.42
Assists 6 7
Dribbles completed per game 3.8 0.6
Pass accuracy 84% 74%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Kudus made a greater impact than Murphy at the top end of the pitch, with more goals, more xA, and far more completed dribbles.
The West Ham magician has the quality to consistently drive past opposition defenders, whilst being reliable with his passes and effective in the final third, and this is why he could come in as a huge upgrade for Newcastle.
Howe could improve his team by signing a proven Premier League star who could win matches for the club more frequently with his superb qualities in possession, which is why he should work to secure his services in January.