Newcastle United had their spies in the main stand at Anfield during Liverpool's pulsating 3-3 draw with Benfica in the Champions League last week as they continue to scout Darwin Nunez.
The 22-year-old Uruguay international netted against Jurgen Klopp's men and then followed it up with a strike in the Lisbon derby as Benfica dusted off Sporting 2-0 over the weekend. Although United were joined by Manchester United and Arsenal who are also keen on the 31-goal South American star.
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Landing a goal-laden signing like Nunez would get the seal of approval from most fans with Newcastle a city built on the hopes of the man wearing the number 9 shirt. It's OK talking about Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand and Macolm MacDonald and reeling off the names that wore it so well.
But we've reached the stage of the season in which the name of Bobby Shinton usually starts to circulate around the pubs and clubs of Tyneside. Shinton once netted just seven goals in a single season for the Magpies and for years set a low bar in terms of the top scorer charts.
Although, in recent years Jonjo Shelvey (6) in 2019/20 was the top marksman while Nobby Solano (6) in 2000/01 and John Barnes in 1997/98 also notched just half a dozen. With six matches to go, Newcastle are in danger of another low scoring top scorer this season.
Callum Wilson has six to his name but will be confident of adding to that in the last few matches if he can recover from his longstanding calf injury. Allan Saint-Maximin is next on five goals and looks like the best bet to catch the number 9.
But the reality is Newcastle are crying out for a proven and consistent regular goalscorer. Wilson notched an impressive enough 12 last season before being struck by injury again.
Ayoze Perez equalled that in 2019 with a dozen goals to win a £30million move to Leicester but it's been a long time since anybody got close to Alan Shearer's 22 goal tally in 2004. Shearer was the last player to break into the 20s in the top-flight.
And you'd have to turn the clock back to 1994 for the last man to get past 30 when Cole scored 34 in the club's first Premier League season. Regardless of the success of Newcastle's interest in Nunez, it's an area that Eddie Howe knows needs to be improved upon.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "There are two ways of looking at it. "Yes, ultimately we need to score more goals - that is very clear.
"In open play, set-plays, whatever it is, we need more. "We'd love somebody to be right at the top of the goalscoring charts.
"That gives you a much better chance of being successful consistently. "But then if you look, we have actually spread the goals around from different areas of the pitch.
"We have had different players chipping in. "That is also hugely important that you are not relying on just one goal source.
"So while we would love somebody to be scoring goals on a consistent basis we still need that spread of goals around the team."
So who could "somebody" be next season? Howe was more guarded when asked if it was a suggestion he had a lethal marksman lined up.
He added: "No, I'm not leading you anywhere with this. "I'm going to be very vague".
When asked how his summer shortlist was looking, Howe said: "That will be for another time. "We have people working on a lot of different things at the club.
"I don't necessarily have the day to day contact with them, but there will come a time, hopefully very soon where we give that more thought."
With Newcastle willing to spend though and the club making ambitious moves in most departments, could this be the last season where fans discuss the possibility of somebody doing a "Bobby Shinton" at St James' Park.
