Marco Asensio is the latest in a long line of superstar names linked with a move to Newcastle United this summer. The Real Madrid winger is naturally back in the headlines as he enters the final year of his contract in the Spanish capital.
26-years-old, the third-highest scorer at Real Madrid last season, 235 appearances for Los Blancos, three Champions League medals, three La Liga titles and 28 caps for his native Spain. If Newcastle manage to pull off a deal then it would mark a coup of unprecedented proportions for Eddie Howe 's side.
As usual with a player of Asensio's ilk, the big guns of European football are always circling. Manchester United and Liverpool have been heavily tipped to sign the winger in recent months as his agents test the water to see whether a big move is on the cards.
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Arsenal are a club constantly linked with any Real Madrid players on the cusp of departing the Santiago Bernabeu and have again been touted as a potential destination for Asensio this summer. The Gunners would love to get one over Newcastle after famously losing out in the battle for Bruno Guimaraes.
Then there is AC Milan. The Serie A side are said to be at the front of the queue and the destination that appeals most to the player. Sporting director Paolo Maldini is reportedly extremely keen on securing a deal. Where have we heard that before?
Newcastle have already beaten the Italian giants to one deal this summer after luring Sven Botman away from Serie A to Tyneside instead. The ongoing Milan takeover saga means the San Siro outfit can't spend as freely as they would like.
Beating the likes of Milan, and any other top club for that matter, would prove just how quickly the tide is turning when it comes to Newcastle and their new ownership. The big wages they can now offer is a huge pull for players on the continent. But the promise of being a marquee signing at an up and coming Premier League side isn't a bad selling point either.
Of course there are caveats that come with stories such as these. Asensio has been linked with a Real Madrid exit countless times and has never departed. He is in the final year of his contract and may be trying to pressure Madrid chief Florentino Perez into a new, bumper deal. And of course, Newcastle are now 'interested' in all unsettled European stars these days, simply due to their new-found wealth.
But should the Magpies somehow steal a march on their Premier League rivals and other European suitors, it would be a stark message to other international stars that Newcastle are a club going places - and quickly.
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