Newcastle United have made Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins a prime target for the summer window as they plan to replace Alexander Isak, according to TBR Football.
The Magpies have so far brought in four new signings this summer with Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey bolstering Eddie Howe's squad, while they opened their season with a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa.
But the final two weeks of the window are set to be dominated by the Isak situation, with the Swede pushing to leave for Liverpool in a British record transfer, and while Newcastle don't want to sell, they are eyeing potential replacements before the deadline on 1st September.
Newcastle Make Watkins Prime Target
Ollie Watkins in action for Aston Villa
Watkins, who earns £130,000-a-week at Villa Park, has been linked with an exit away from the Midlands club for much of the summer, with Aston Villa in need of sales to raise funds after missing out on Champions League qualification.
Unai Emery is keen on a reunion to bring in his former Villarreal striker and current Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson, and he is ready to allow Watkins to move on if he is able to get that deal over the line.
Now Newcastle have made the 29-year-old a 'prime target' for the summer window, and with Isak pushing to leave, club chiefs have begun to make plans with Aston Villa open to a deal.
The Magpies are still in the mix to sign Brentford star Yoane Wissa, although the Bees have made it very difficult and a deal has dragged on due to their demands.
The club have also struggled to bring in a number of other targets, missing out on Joao Pedro to Chelsea, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to Manchester United and Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool.
But Howe wants to bring in two strikers this summer before a deal for Isak will even be considered, as they also allowed Callum Wilson to move on at the end of his contract during the summer. Wissa is considered to be a Wilson replacement, so Watkins would likely come in as an option straight for the starting lineup.
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