Newcastle United's quest for football dominance took the next step in its development after securing Champions League football next season after a two decade wait. The Toon will welcome back Europe's elite clubs to St. James' Park, a taste of what they hope will be a regular occurrence in the years to come.
Eddie Howe and his side have already been linked with a whole host of European talent as they look to take the next step in their evolution, with James Maddison and Kieran Tierney among just a few big names touted for a move to St. James' Park this summer. While there's the obvious need for signings to improve the squad in the here and now, there's also hope they'll unearth a few gems with long-term success on the agenda.
Manchester City finally ended their wait for a Champions League trophy after years of waiting and a turnover of stars. One name linked with a move to St. James' Park is Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga.
The 21-year-old burst onto the scene this season in La Liga and has been mentioned in the same breath as Newcastle United on a number of occasions. However, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid also in the race to sign the young Spaniard, the Toon could well miss out on a bright prospect.
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Jurgen Klopp's side have been linked with a £34.5 million move for Veiga - who scored 11 times in La Liga last season and claimed four assists in 36 top flight appearances. He's been one of the standout performers this season and he's widely expected to leave Celta Vigo this summer.
Liverpool are in need of fresh legs in their midfield as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on Champions League football and they've already signed Brighton's World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister. Klopp and his side pride themselves on high octane, pressing football - very similar to that of Howe's new look Newcastle.
So it should come as no surprise to see similarities between Joe Willock and Veiga, using Macro Football. The pair have a 99.1 per cent similarity, making Veiga an attractive proposition for both Newcastle and Liverpool.
The Spaniard would provide some much needed strength in depth at St. James' Park, both for the here and now and for their long-term plans. The Toon will have to fight off a number of big European clubs for his signature this summer, but there are alternatives out there.
Alexis Claude-Maurice of Nice, who spent last year on loan with RC Lens, has a 98 per cent similarity to that of Veiga and Lens qualify for the Champions League. The attacking midfielder is set to return to his parent club this summer and his future is likely to remain up in the air.
With five goals and three assists in 22 Ligue 1 appearances, he could represent a cheaper alternative to Veiga this summer. Staying in a similar price range, Barcelona winger Alex Collado boasts a 96.6 similarity to Veiga, but has less impressive statistics having scored just once and notched one assist in Spain's top flight during a loan spell with Elche.
Fiorentina's Giacomo Bonaventura has a 96.2 per cent similarity to Veiga and helped the Serie A side reach the Europa Conference League final this season. At 33-years-old, his best years may well be behind him but a short stint on Tyneside could give them some experience in the heart of midfield.
Staying in the Serie A, Udinese midfielder Sandi Lovric rounds off the list with a similarity percentage of 96.2, but is considerably younger than Bonoventura at 25-years-old. The Slovenian international played 37 times in the Italian top flight, with five goals and six assists to his name, helping guide I Bianconeri to a mid-table finish.
