"Emerged on the radar for Eddie Howe" - Journalist drops NUFC transfer claim on towering beast

Dan Burn's versatility has led to the Brighton & Hove Albion man working his way onto Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe's radar, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Howe has already strengthened his defensive options by completing a £12million swoop for Kieran Trippier, but it appears he is looking for further reinforcements to beef up the Magpies' rearguard.

The Daily Mail have claimed Newcastle are set to return to Premier League rivals Brighton with an improved offer after failing with an initial £8million proposal to take Burn off their hands.

It is understood that Howe is desperate to bolster his defence before Monday's transfer deadline and the Magpies are pursuing a series of options, with Newcastle fan Burn being one of them.

Although knee injuries have hampered the towering 6 ft 7 defender this season, he has still made 16 appearances this season and failed to miss a single minute of any of Brighton's last nine fixtures, underlining his importance to Seagulls boss Graham Potter.

But Newcastle's hopes of luring Burn away from the Amex Stadium will have been boosted by the fact the 29-year-old has previously admitted he has dreamt of donning the famous black and white stripes of the Magpies.

His £20,000-per-week contract is also set to expire at the end of next season, meaning Brighton may see the closing days of the window as the perfect time to cash-in.

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O'Rourke believes the fact Burn is comfortable at left-back as well as at the heart of the defence is a key reason for Newcastle's interest.

While he is four appearances short of 300 outings at centre-half, Burn has also featured 46 times on the left-hand side of the backline