Summary Newcastle United are eyeing Real Betis starlet Assane Diao, a talented attacking player who has impressed with six goals in 14 appearances this season. Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in Diao. Diao's current contract includes a €30m release clause, but Betis wants to renew it with a €40m clause to protect their investment.
Newcastle United are eyeing the signing of a "fantastic" La Liga player, but plenty of rivals are thought to be providing competition for his signature, according to a fresh transfer update.
Newcastle eye Tonali replacements
Eddie Howe will already be thinking about potential January signings, with Sandro Tonali's 10-month potentially forcing him to delve into the transfer market. There is a chance that the Newcastle boss is content with the midfield options that he has currently, but failing to sign someone could leave the Magpies looking short in the middle of the park during the business end of the season.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) could also make life tricky for them when it comes to January business, but they are certainly being linked with making some key additions. It is the midfield that is the understable main area of focus, considering Tonali will be unavailable until early next season, and well-known trio Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Neves and N'Golo Kante have all been linked with moves to Newcastle, while Manchester United's Scott McTominay is a target for the Magpies, too.
That being said, it looks as though Howe could also be eyeing a move for a talented young attacking player instead, following a new update this week.
Newcastle transfer news – Assane Diao
According to Mucho Deporte [via Sport Witness], Newcastle want to sign Real Betis wide man Assane Diao, following some "dazzling" form from him this season. Liverpool and Chelsea are also in the picture, however, which does further highlight his potential as a footballer, as some of the biggest clubs in the country eye him up. All three clubs see him as a "very attractive" proposition.
Diao's stats show the impact that he is already having for Betis in a short space of time, with a total of six goals in 14 appearances coming his way this season, two of which have come in La Liga. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described this as a "fantastic time for the 18-year-old Betis academy graduate".
The teenager currently has a €30m (£26m) release clause included in his current contract at Betis, but the Spanish outfit want to renew his deal, in order to plant a €40m (£34.7m) clause, as they look to avoid losing him on the cheap. Diao may not yet be a household name among Premier League supporters, but he is already making a noticeable impression in a top European league, so a £26m swoop could be a bargain in the long run.
For that reason, he should be considered an extremely exciting target for Newcastle, at a time when extra attacking depth wouldn't go amiss, allowing the Betis man to come in as an understudy to Miguel Almiron on the right wing. Over time, he could even usurp the Magpies hero, should he continue to mature at his current rate.
Newcastle need to be in a position where they are signing brilliant players for the present, but also acquiring the services of individuals who can be huge figures well into the future at St James' Park, and Diao ticks that latter box, not to mention also being a good squad option straight away.