Newcastle United have had a relatively uneventful summer transfer window and only have a few hours left to end it with a bang before the deadline.
So far, Lloyd Kelly, on a free transfer, and Will Osula are the only two outfield players signed who were not already at the club last season, whilst Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson have been sold.
Eddie Howe failed in an attempt to land his number one target Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace and has been linked with an interest in Nottingham Forest forward Anthony Elanga.
Whilst the focus may be on a centre-back or a wide player before the deadline, Newcastle are now reportedly interested in adding another midfielder to their ranks.
Newcastle eyeing midfield star
According to Football Insider, the Magpies are considering a late swoop to sign central midfielder Matheus Nunes from Premier League champions Manchester City.
The report claims that Newcastle are weighing up whether or not to make an approach for the Portugal international before the deadline at 11pm.
It states that the Cityzens are prepared to part ways with the former Wolves star following the arrival of Ilkay Gundogan in his position this month.
Football Insider reveals that Newcastle have not had a midfielder on their list of priorities but have been alerted to the potential availability of a quality signing, which means that this could turn into a surprise deadline day swoop.
If the Magpies do decide to pursue a late deal for the dynamic central midfielder then he could come in and shine alongside Bruno Guimaraes in the middle of the park.
Why Newcastle should sign Matheus Nunes
The 26-year-old ace only started nine Premier League matches for Manchester City last season but did chip in with two goals and two assists, which shows that he could contribute in the final third.
Nunes, who was hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting last term, could be an exciting partner for Bruno in midfield, as they are both dynamic players who can win duels and progress the ball forward when in possession.
In the 2023/24 campaign, the Brazilian star won 57% of his duels and completed 1.9 dribbles per game across 37 Premier League starts for the Magpies.
Appearances
34
Pass accuracy
82%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.5
Dribbles completed per game
1.3
Duel success rate
52%
As you can see in the table above, Nunes also won the majority of his duels and completed more than one dribble per game on average in the 2022/23 season with Wolves before his move to Manchester City.
The £130k-per-week gem's dynamic play in and out of possession convinced Pep Guardiola to snap him up, but his move did not go to plan as the Cityzens are now looking to move him on.
Newcastle could benefit from that, though, by making a surprise deadline day swoop for the Portuguese whiz, whether that is on loan or a permanent deal, to boss the midfield alongside Bruno with their duel-winning and dribbling skills.
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