Premier League new boys Newcastle United are interested in signing Celtic goalscorer Leigh Griffiths this summer, according to the Daily Record.
The newspaper claim that the Magpies are “watching developments closely” with an offer of at least £6million likely to tempt Celtic to part with the 26-year-old.
Griffiths scored 18 goals from 38 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish club last season, while he also caught the eye with two sensational free-kicks during Scotland’s 2-2 draw with England on Saturday.
But he remains locked in a battle to convince manager Brendan Rodgers of his worth to the team in the long-term, and may be at risk of being sold if a decent offer comes in.
Rodgers has regularly challenged the Scotland international to prove his fitness since taking charge at Parkhead last summer, and also views Griffiths as a backup option to lead goalscorer Moussa Dembele.
Therefore, he could be tempted to allow the striker to leave the club this summer if offered an attractive financial package, with Premier League duo Newcastle and West Brom circling.
Griffiths’ goalscoring ability is clear for all to see, having netted 85 goals from 144 appearances throughout his Celtic career, and Newcastle are determined to add another prolific goalscorer to their ranks this summer.
Newcastle secured their return to the Premier League as Championship winners last season, but Rafa Benitez is not prepared to settle for just his current options – Dwight Gayle, Daryl Murphy and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The striker has previous top-flight experience with Wolverhampton Wanderers, while his four-year spell at Celtic has also seen him earn regular opportunities in the Champions League, which could both be of benefit to Benitez.