Newcastle United have already made moves in the January transfer market and they hopefully are not done just yet.
The Magpies have spent £40m under the new ownership so far, bringing in Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Chris Wood from Burnley.
Now, Eddie Howe is reportedly eyeing a move for Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata.
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The Colombian international - who is currently sidelined with injury - has netted 12 goals in 22 games this season, also providing seven assists.
At 30-years-old, Zapata has had a busy 22-year career.
What is being said?
Newcastle have reportedly enquired whether £37m would be enough to prise the attacker from Atalanta.
They had an initial bid thought to be around £21m rejected immediately with the offer containing the caveat that £16m of that would only be given if the club avoided the drop to the Championship.
Zapata himself is supposedly asking for a large wage increase, wanting around £5.4m - much higher than the current £1.6m deal he’s currently on.
Who has he played for in his career?
The centre-forward came through the youth ranks at CD America in his homeland before securing a move to Argentinian outfit Estudiantes.
His 19 goals in 44 matches in their title-winning run caught the eye of Napoli, who snapped up Zapata for around £2.7m in 2013.
In his five years at the Serie A giants, he played a mere 53 times, scoring 15 goals although still lifted a Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup.
His time there was littered with loans, including to league rivals Udinese and Sampdoria.
Zapata also enjoyed a loan spell at Atalanta before moving permanently in January 2020 for £11m.
He has since added to the singular Champions League goal scored while at Napoli by netting a further seven for his current employers.
He’s netted 105 Serie A goals throughout his time in Italy, four of which came in a single game against Frosinone.
What are his strengths?
Zapata has comfortably reached double figures in his goal tally for the past six seasons, including the current one.
He has netted 19 goals in each of the past two campaigns after firing home a whopping 28 in the 2018/19 season to see Atalanta qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Zapata has proved a handful for Premier League defenders too, having netted against Manchester United in November’s Champions League home meeting.
He would bring not only European experience but also international quality, having helped Colombia reach the semi-finals of the Copa America last summer.
His strength cannot be denied and he packs some agility too, not being afraid to play the poacher when needed.
What are his weaknesses?
The major concern for Howe will be his recent injury record. Zapata has sustained three different injuries in the last two years, two of which have come this season.
He’s currently nursing an adductor problem that has kept him out since December 21.
In fact, combined with a sprain earlier this campaign, he has missed eight games and been out of action for more than 50 days in total.
In a separate injury, Zapata was sidelined for two months in the 2019/20 season due to a torn abductor.
Now 30, any knock he picks up from here on in could keep him out for a longer time than it would for those his junior.
Where would he fit into the side?
With Callum Wilson out of action, Zapata would likely be given the nod ahead of Wood.
He typically plays as a lone striker rather than in a two, and enjoys support from the flanks and attacking midfielders - an aspect which may have attracted Zapata to Howe initially.
The attacker can normally last the whole 90 minutes in Serie A although the pace of the Premier League may change this.
He could establish himself as a regular and, if he performs, could ultimately challenge for first choice striker for a season or two before age ultimately catches up with him.
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