Newcastle United are one of a number of European clubs who have been handed a boost in their pursuit of in-demand Porto striker Samu Aghehowa this summer, according to a report.
The 20-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Chelsea last summer before completing a transfer from Atletico Madrid to Porto, where he has enjoyed a prolific debut campaign thus far.
Aghehowa has scored 20 goals in 32 games for the Portuguese giants across all competitions - at least eight more than any of his teammates - including 14 strikes in 20 Primeira Liga matches.
The one-cap Spain international is under contract at Porto until June 2029, but the highly-rated striker has been tipped to join a top European club in the summer.
Chelsea are thought to still hold an interest in Aghehowa, while Manchester United are alleged to have sent scouts to watch the Porto marksman.
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Newcastle among clubs handed Aghehowa transfer boost
Arsenal have also been credited with an interest, while a recent report claims that La Liga giants Barcelona have now entered the race for his signature.
Newcastle are another club thought to be long-term admirers of Aghehowa, and Football Insider claims that they could be one of the teams who signs the striker for a lower fee than his £82.5m release clause this summer.
However, the report adds that Porto are still set to demand a 'huge' fee for Aghehowa, potentially making the deal a difficult one for the Magpies to pull off.
Newcastle will struggle to convince players such as Aghehowa to move to St James' Park if they fail to qualify for next season's Champions League; they currently sit eighth in the Premier League table but only three points behind the top four.
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Could Newcastle pull off Samu summer swoop?
The Magpies are expected to delve into the summer transfer market for a new striker as Callum Wilson is increasingly likely to leave the club when his contract expires in the summer.
It is claimed that efforts behind the scenes at St James' Park have turned towards recruiting a backup or option to play alongside star striker Alexander Isak.
Newcastle are determined to keep hold of the Sweden international, who has scored 22 goals in 31 games this season, despite reported interest from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, if Newcastle were to cash in on Isak and received a significant fee in excess of £100m, they would raise sufficient funds to recruit one of their top striker targets such as Aghehowa. Wilson's likely departure would also help free up some wages.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are also believed to be in the market for a new goalkeeper and Burnley's James Trafford is high on their list of targets.
Oliver Thomas
