Newcastle United have been joined by Premier League rivals West Ham in launching a scouting mission to watch Aston Villa defender Mitchell Clark during his loan spell at Port Vale, according to the Sunday Mirror.
The newspaper claim in their print edition (21/10, Page 67) that the Magpies and the Hammers have both been watching the 19-year-old this season with a view to snapping him up in the future, having made the move down to League Two on a temporary deal in the summer.
Clark, a Wales under-19 international with eight youth caps, has one senior outing under his belt for Villa and has been a mainstay for his loan side, with 14 appearances across both league and cup competitions.
His versatility has seen him play as both a full back on either flank as well as a wide midfielder, again on either wing.
Good move for Newcastle?
Newcastle have tended to avoid the English market for new talent as it tends to be inflated in comparison to the rest of Europe, but perhaps they are looking at a top young talent to try and boost their quality in depth.
Clark would not be bought to make an immediate impact on the first team, for the leap from League Two to the top flight is massive, but with some more development at a Premier League side he could be ready in months.
The fact he has not really made the grade at Villa will throw up questions as to why Premier League clubs are looking at him, but perhaps they have seen something that the Villans have failed to see.
Still, he is not a first team quality player yet and that is what Newcastle need right now.
This is Futbol rating: 4/10
Likely to happen?
If Clark was a permanent Port Vale player, then Newcastle would stand a chance, but Villa are likely to demand far more than the Magpies are willing to spend.
Rafa Benitez has too limited a budget to take a gamble on a 19-year-old in League Two, and needs to save every penny on securing players who are going to make an immediate impact.
He could become a top quality talent but right now, Newcastle seem unlikely to take that gamble when there are more important things on their mind.
This is Futbol rating: 2.5/10