It is no secret Newcastle United are after reinforcements during the January transfer window, and that has led them to plotting a raid on Italian side Roma.
Jose Mourinho will not be happy that one of his favourite players at Roma is being targeted in January by The Magpies, especially considering he is trying to get Roma into the Europa League spots of the Serie A table.
According to Foot Mercato though, Newcastle want to spoil the former Chelsea manager’s month by bringing Jordan Veretout to the Premier League.
The 28-year-old Frenchman has only missed out on one league game this season due to a yellow card suspension, and has otherwise started every other game in the division since Mourinho’s arrival.
Veretout has scored four goals and assisted a further five in 18 Serie A appearances this season, numbers that none of Newcastle’s current crop of central midfielders can hope to match.
Veretout has appeared five times for the French national team, making an appearance during the last international break.
The midfielder would add international pedigree to a Championship level midfield, and would it certainly allow them to free up forward Joelinton from playing as a box-to-box midfielder.
As per transfermarkt, Veretout is rated at £27m so any bid would need to be significant to pry him away from Roma. But after their Saudi-backed PIF takeover earlier in the season money is no longer a problem.