"Newcastle are interested..": Journo delivers £50m transfer claim that'll excite Howe - opinion

A big Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding Bayer Leverkusen attacker Moussa Diaby… 

Sport1 journalist Patrick Berger has claimed that the Magpies are among the clubs who are keen on a deal to sign the Frenchman at the end of the season. The attacker is said to be available for a fee in the region of £50m, whilst two other Premier League clubs are also in the running for his signature.

Berger tweeted: “Manchester United, FC Arsenal and Newcastle are interested in Moussa Diaby. The French winger from Bayer Leverkusen (16 goals/9 assists this seasons) has no release clause. Price tag: €60m. As a potential successor Bayer monitoring Carles Pérez from AS Roma.”

This update will surely leave Eddie Howe excited for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that PIF are eyeing up players within the £50m price range. If they did not believe that they could strike a deal of that magnitude, then it would be strange for them to be showing an interest in Diaby, which is why the 44-year-old Newcastle boss can feel excited about the calibre of transfer that the club is aiming to complete this summer.

Instead of fishing for bargain deals in Europe or trying to secure loans from other Premier League clubs, Newcastle may look to poach outstanding performers to bolster their squad in mega-deals. Diaby falls into this category because of his potential price and his displays for Leverkusen this season.

His performances in the Bundesliga are another reason why Howe will be buzzing with this news. The 22-year-old has been in electric form for the German club, with 12 goals and seven assists in 24 outings this term. He has also caught the eye in the Europa League as he has four goals and two assists in seven starts in the