It looks like Newcastle United have reignited their interest in Joao Pedro.
Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett reports that the versatile Brighton forward is back on Eddie Howe’s wishlist, just a few years after the club came close to signing him from Watford.
Newcastle want and need another striker this summer, with Callum Wilson out of contract and star man Alexander Isak needing competition (or a potential partner?) as we prepare to compete on four fronts next season.
Dorsett reports that Pedro has plenty of interest, with other Premier League clubs and sides across Europe also interested in the 23-year-old.
Moving to another update from Sky Sports, they have also released an in-depth piece detailing each clubs needs and wants heading into a huge summer, sharing a couple of areas Eddie Howe plans to bolster.
Sky report that Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Burnley’s James Trafford remain long-term targets of Howe’s, with the pair thought to be our leading targets at centre-back and goalkeeper.
Considering Newcastle launched bids for both last summer, this may come as no surprise, especially now Guehi has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.
Sky Sports state that the club are ‘determined’ to not only keep Alexander Isak but sign another striker having missed out on Liam Delap (could Joao Pedro could be that man?) and a right winger is also a priority, as we know.
The same piece also reveals that a ‘young centre-midfielder’ is also being looked at, with that area of the field likely to be addressed should Sean Longstaff depart.
Longstaff is currently our sixth choice midfielder and is out of contract in 12 months time, meaning this could be our last chance to secure a fee for the local lad.