Surprise summer signing on the cards? - NUFC 'confident' of agreeing deal after secret January bid

According to new reports on Thursday morning, Newcastle United are lining up a summer move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

This comes from Paul Jiggins' latest 'exclusive' for The Sun, who claims the club are planning to launch a £45m bid for the exciting 23-year-old talent who was linked with a move to St James' Park during his time at QPR.

The report also claims that we are 'confident' of pulling off a deal providing we stay up, stating that Crystal Palace 'could be tempted' to cash in - as they'd be more than doubling their money on a player they paid £17m for just 18 months ago.

Interestingly, the same piece states that we made a surprise loan bid to sign Eze back in January, testing the waters with Eagles chiefs by offering a £5m loan fee that included a £35m option to buy at the end of the season.

This sounds like a ridiculous offer and one that was always destined to be rejected, however it's worth noting that Eze has only started once this season after returning from a serious Achilles injury back in November.

It should be taken with a pinch of salt for now, as any number of exciting talents will be tipped with big money moves to Tyneside should we survive, yet the prospect of Eze and Saint-Maximin lighting up St James' Park next season is impossible not to like!