In what appeared inconceivable several years ago, Newcastle United are in the running for Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane, with the Senegalese forward's future in Germany uncertain.
What's the latest on Sadio Mane to Newcastle?
According to Sky Germany, the 31-year-old has fallen out of favour with the German Bundesliga champions following a high-profile disagreement with teammate Leroy Sané, and Newcastle technical director Dan Ashworth is now mulling over issuing a swoop.
The former Liverpool sensation departed Anfield for £35m last summer, though an injury-affected campaign has indeed been exacerbated by his unwelcome fallout with Sane, consequently demoted in the mind of manager Thomas Tuchel.
Regardless, Mane is one of the most prolific wingers of the modern age and was a pillar of strength for years under Jurgen Klopp's wing in the Premier League, and a return, this time to St. James's Park, could bear fruit for the gem.
Should Newcastle sign Sadio Mane?
While Mane is now 31-years-old, he is still a predatory force on the pitch and has proven through years of solid servitude that he possesses a skill set capable of dismantling even the meanest of Premier League defences.
Having impressed with Southampton before completing a £34m to Merseyside in 2016, notably scoring the Premier League's fastest hat-trick in two minutes and 56 seconds before plundering 120 goals and 48 assists from 269 outings for Liverpool, pivotal in the recent illustrious success of the club.
This season, while he has scored 12 goals and provided six assists from 37 appearances for the Bavarian, the 95-cap Senegal star's future in Munich does not seem tenable, and he may need to seek pastures new once again.
His £374k-per-week wages could prove a stumbling block for many interested parties, though the Magpies boast the affluence to complete a swoop if they do decide to further their interest.
As per FBref, Mane, formerly hailed as "world-class" and a "machine" by Klopp, ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for rate of assists and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90, and he could be the perfect acquisition to bolster the ranks ahead of a return to European football next season.
He could even displace Allan Saint-Maximin on the Toon flank, with the mercurial Frenchman not quite reaching the same heights of late despite his outfit's ascension under Howe's tutelage.
Saint-Maximin was signed for £20m from French Ligue 1 side Nice in 2019 and swiftly asserted himself as one of the most guileful wingers in the business, even dubbed a "wizard" by 90min's Graeme Bailey.
He has, however, yet to plunder more than five strikes in a season on Tyneside, scoring just once this year, and has scored a total of 13 goals from 121 appearances for his St. James's Park team, having also supplied 21 assists.
With Newcastle very much on the up, Howe must be ruthless and secure superlative signings if and when it will enhance the club's prospects of success; Mane's signature must be clinched.
