'Fee agreed' - Newcastle United in £15m transfer race as Barcelona 'massively impressed'

Newcastle United are one of four Premier League clubs reportedly eyeing teenage sensation Stefanos Tzimas.

The 18-year-old is currently on loan at German second-tier outfit FC Nurnberg from PAOK Thessaloniki and has caught the eye of several top European clubs with his recent form. A tally of eight goals and two assists in 14 league matches places Tzimas among the division’s most prolific forwards, a huge step up from his previous numbers in Greece.

FC Nurnberg have the option to sign Tzimas permanently this summer and are expected to do so, with an €18million (£14.8m) clause likely to be triggered. But Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reports they will look to sell him straight on for profit this summer and Newcastle are among those keeping tabs on the situation.

Recent reports have claimed Brighton & Hove Albion could look to sign Tzimas this month but Plettenberg believes those suggestions are wide of the mark. Instead, the Seagulls are ‘monitoring’ the Greek youth international ahead of a possible summer move, although they could face competition from Chelsea, Aston Villa and Eddie Howe’s Magpies.

As things stand, Newcastle will be in the market for a new striker come summer, with current back-up to Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson, into the final six months of his St James’ Park contract. There is an option for the 32-year-old’s deal to be extended a further 12 months but injury issues have continually plagued his recent career and it remains to be seen whether he will stay.

Barcelona Isak links

Newcastle will hope any summer arrival comes in to compete for football with Isak but speculation surrounding the in-form striker is growing. Arsenal have regularly been linked with the 25-year-old, whose opening goal helped Howe’s men to a 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Isak has developed into one of the world’s top strikers and could feasibly stake a claim as the Premier League’s best leading man on current form, with Erling Haaland struggling. The Swedish international has 15 goals so far this season including 10 in his last nine games across all competitions.

That form has propelled Newcastle right back into Champions League contention but it has also caught the eye of potential suitors. And TBR Football claim that along with Arsenal, La Liga giants Barcelona have also been ‘massively impressed’ by Isak, who is under consideration as a summer target.

The Catalan club will prioritise a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski this summer, with the experienced goalscorer due to turn 37 in August. And while president Joan Laporta would love to sign Haaland, a contract extension at Manchester City is thought to be on the cards.

As such, recruitment chiefs have started to look elsewhere and they are said to have been present at a handful of Newcastle games to watch Isak. Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also named as admirers in the report, but Newcastle are confident of keeping their star man beyond this season, with only a mega-offer likely to even bring them to the table.