Newcastle 'set their sights' on talented Premier League midfielder who previously played with Toon duo

Newcastle United fans were treated to great news this afternoon when it was confirmed that Brazilian international Joelinton had signed a new long-term deal with the club.

The move is seen as a signal of intent for next season and Joelinton himself has outlined that he hopes to have ‘further success’ in the years to come.

The prospect of Joelinton returning to partner Bruno Guimaraes in the middle next term, along with the return of the suspended Sandro Tonali will be a mouth-watering prospect for many supporters next season, while reports from TeamTalk claim that Magpies are working to make their midfield even stronger next season with further reinforcements.

The outlet states that Newcastle, who have been plagued by injury issues this season, have set their sights on talented Brighton midfielder Billy Gilmour.The Scottish international is a product of the Chelsea academy and a star who will have trained closely with both Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, who also progressed through the highly-esteemed Blues academy.

Gilmour was praised for the 11 league appearances he made at Chelsea under the guidance of Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel. However, after a one-year loan stint at Norwich City he opted to leave Stamford Bridge in 2022 to complete a permanent move to Premier League rivals Brighton.

The 22-year-old has fitted in excellently at the Amex Stadium since making the move and has earned a reputation for being an excellent ball-playing technician with great vision and the ability to create chances for his team mates. In his first season he made 14 league appearances and helped the team achieve a first ever European finish. This term he has become a mainstay in the team with 25 league appearances - whilst also gaining European experience, featuring eight times in the Europa League.

Gilmour’s composure on the ball and his consistent form at club level has made him a mainstay for Scotland at international level where he has already made 22 caps - helping the team qualify for this summer’s European Championships in fine style.

The youngster is deemed to be the type of profile that Howe is after in his Newcastle team and someone that could provide further competition to help the Magpies if they are to earn a place in the Europa League next season.

TeamTalk has revealed that Brighton will want significantly more than the £9m that they paid in 2022, but the outlet understands that the uncertainty surrounding Roberto De Zerbi’s future amid Liverpool links, could play a factor in the youngsters decision.