Newcastle United's refusal to give up on Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby is a timely reminder of the club's newfound status as the Magpies target one of Europe's hottest prospects.
After already signing Nick Pope, Matt Targett and Sven Botman, Eddie Howe would ideally like to bring in a wide forward and striker this summer and Diaby is someone who has been well-liked by the coaching staff and recruitment team alike for some time. It is easy to see why. As well as being rapid, Diaby is a real game-changer in the final third and the forward was directly involved in 32 goals for Leverkusen last season.
It is important to stress, though, that Diaby is content at Leverkusen and, with three years left to run on his contract, the Bundesliga giants are under no immediate pressure to sell the France international - particularly after qualifying for the Champions League. However, Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen's sporting director, admitted just last week that 'when clubs with incredibly large financial opportunities bid for such a player, we have to sell a top player at some point'.
