Newcastle United are reportedly keeping an eye on Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear and have been linked with Porto pair Victor Froholdt and Samu Aghehowa as the Magpies plan for an important January transfer window.
Matthias Jaissle has endured a mixed start to his reign as Newcastle boss. Ahead of Saturday's game at Fulham - the final match before the international break - the Magpies sit 13th in the table.
United's form in the capital should offer encouragement for the Fulham game, given they already have three wins in the capital this season - against Millwall, Tottenham and Crystal Palace - without conceding a goal.
Concerns over recruitment
While it's not quite panic stations, back-to-back defeats to Everton in the Carabao Cup and league have raised concerns over the direction of travel under Eddie Howe's successor.
There are also question marks over recruitment and it's crucial that positive steps are made in that department in January and next summer.
Lankshear on the radar
United are reportedly keeping an eye on Middlesbrough goal machine Will Lankshear, whose 13 goals so far this season put him in Thomas Tuchel's thoughts for the latest England squad.
Lankshear, 21, was eventually overlooked but for a Championship player to be so close speaks volumes about his progress under Boro boss Kim Hellberg. The 21-year-old was only signed from Tottenham for £10million last summer, following a loan spell at Oxford United, but is already being linked with a quick return to the Premier League.
He could achieve that with Boro, who sit top of the second tier, but offers could come in for him as soon as January. According to The Sun, Newcastle were due to watch Lankshear in action against Wrexham this week, only for him to be ruled out due to injury.
He was missed as Boro fell to just their second defeat of the season. Hellberg said: "Any team would miss a player who has scored 13 goals in 13 games. It's the same for every team in the world."
Porto pair watched
Newcastle are back in the game for Porto pair Victor Froholdt and Samu Aghehowa, according to reports in Portugal. United were linked with midfielder Froholdt in the summer as a potential replacement for the departing Bruno Guimaraes.
Forward Aghehowa was touted for a potential move to St James' Park in 2025 amid the Alexander Isak saga. Portuguese title A Bola reports that Newcastle were among 14 clubs represented at the Dragao on Wednesday.
Those scouts saw Froholdt, 20, who has a £71million release clause, play the full game and Aghehowa, 22, come off the bench to score as Porto ran out impressive 4-1 winners over Napoli in the Champions League.
Representatives from Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Brentford and Ipswich were also said to be present. The pair have helped Porto make a perfect start to their Primeira Liga campaign, as they sit five points clear at the top with 10 wins from 10.
