Newcastle United will be looking to enrich the ranks this summer after sensationally qualifying for the Champions League this year, and have earmarked Galatasaray's Lucas Torreira as an option for transfer.
What's the latest on Lucas Torreira to Newcastle?
That's according to Turkish Football, who claim that Newcastle have joined the race for the tenacious midfielder, who has been valued at around €20m (£17m) by his club, also attracting the attention of Serie A outfits AC Milan and Lazio.
The Lions secured the Uruguayan's signature from Premier League side Arsenal for just €6m (£5m) last summer following a succession of loan spells, and he returned to emphatic form with his displays this year.
Newcastle's midfield was a force to be reckoned with this year but with the return to European competition, securing the signature of such a gritty central midfielder could ensure squad rotation does not squander cohesion or quality.
Should Newcastle sign Lucas Torreira?
The thriving Premier League outfit are on the cusp of sustaining a position among the big boys, with Eddie Howe's stewardship and technical director Dan Ashworth's diligent work on the transfer front combining to orchestrate the ascent.
Much of the work plied in bringing in fresh faces has been conducted without the concession of a lucrative transfer fee, and Torreira could continue this trend and add another dimension to a team that seemingly hit the mark on each occasion.
Torreira's energy has been illustrated in a bizarre vignette from former Arsenal teammate Sokratis, who said: “When he is off the pitch, he is so calm but when he is on the pitch, it is like ‘Transformers’, he becomes crazy!”
“He works very good, he is small but he is strong enough. I like him very much because he gives everything, he tries to defend every time and when we have players who do this work in front of us, it is very important.
The £75k-per-week gem has been in stellar showing in Turkey this year, and, as per Sofascore, has produced an average rating of 7.09, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 2.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, also winning 64% of his ground duels.
Such metrics would see him sit first in the Toon side for tackles last term and third for interceptions, highlighting the combative nature he could add at St James' Park.
Signing the 27-year-old would no doubt aid Newcastle's endeavours across multiple competitions and he would prove to be a "fantastic" component – as he has been called by Nigel Winterburn – but it could spell danger for Magpies ace Sean Longstaff.
The homegrown Toon midfielder was a success story on Tyneside last season and he has earned praise as his side's "unsung hero" by Paul Merson.
Having made 33 Premier League appearances this year, the 25-year-old has recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.74 and while he has completed 83% of his passes, his 1.3 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per game are minnowed by the vibrant output of Torreira.
Longstaff will play a part next year, but Torreira's skill set would leave him in the lurch; this must not deter Howe and co as they seek success unseen in considerable time on Tyneside, and Torreira would only improve the chances of silverware.