Newcastle United could be set to make further additions to complete their summer transfer work after qualifying for the Champions League last term.
The Magpies have added Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento to the thriving first-team fold, but manager Eddie Howe has claimed that he'd "love" one more player, with Scotland international Scott McTominay potentially set to the man to join the squad on Tyneside.
Who could Newcastle sign this summer?
That's according to Sky Sports' Melissa Reddy, who claimed earlier this week that Manchester United had rejected West Ham United's £30m bid for the 26-year-old, before demanding £45m for the ace.
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The journalist then reveals that Newcastle could still act on their intrigue in the player, though will likely only do so if the perhaps exorbitant valuation is whittled down.
How good is Scott McTominay?
McTominay has made 209 senior appearances in his one-club career and won his first major trophy last season as his outfit secured the Carabao Cup trophy.
He is an industrious and hard-working midfielder with a knack for versatility, showcasing his dynamism through starring in central and defensive midfield roles and even putting in a shift as a centre-half on occasion.
The 39-cap international's current club are reluctant to let him depart but view him as one of the few members of the squad who could be sold this month to recuperate funds as Erik ten Hag continues the rebuild at Old Trafford.
As per FBref, the £60k-per-week ace ranks among the top 21% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 15% for tackles, the top 1% for clearances and the top 2% for aerials won per 90.
He would offer a new dimension to that of Bruno Guimaraes, who has been exceptional since signing from Lyon for £40m in January 2022 but does not offer the most unrelenting of defensive outputs, with his highest defensive metric putting him among only the top 24% of midfielders for tackles per 90.
This is no detriment to Guimaraes' skill set. After all, he has been labelled "world-class" by teammate Dan Burn, but rather a testament to the strategy at Newcastle, who are seemingly looking to add a dimension to their imperious team with heightened expectations for success this year.
By adding McTominay – who has been praised as a “real threat” by Roberto Martinez – to the centre, it could raise the game of the resurgent Joelinton even higher, with the striker-turned-midfielder proving his worth and then some last season.
Indeed, Joelinton scored six goals and supplied two assists from 32 league matches last season, and earned praise for his "exceptional" play by reporter Jordan Cronin.
He ranks among the top 10% of midfielders for goals, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 19% for progressive carries, the top 10% for interceptions, the top 6% for blocks and the top 5% for aerials won per 90.
This all-encompassing skill set has been instrumental in the club's success, and by fortifying the base of the midfield with McTominay, Newcastle could inch even closer to an unwavering position at the forefront of the Premier League.
