Alan Shearer backs Newcastle move for Real Madrid winger - "I heard one or two things"

As we build up to a big summer for Newcastle United, we've already seen a number of right-wingers linked with a potential move to St James' Park.

Domestic options appear to be the likes of Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, Tyler Dibling at Southampton and Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga.

Overseas links have also emerged, with PSV's Johan Bakayoko, Sporting Lisbon's Francisco Trincao and Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche all mentioned in recent months.

However, a new name has been put forward this week by none other than Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer...

Shearer recommends Rodrygo

Alan Shearer believes Newcastle might just be one of the clubs in for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo if reports of him being unsettled in Spain are true.

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer mentions recent links with a potential Premier League switch and feels Newcastle could be one of the clubs in the running for his signature should we seek summer move.

Our former No 9 thinks the 24-year-old Brazilian would be well worth pursuing if finances allowed it, feeling fellow countryman Bruno Guimaraes would soon be on the phone should we show interest!

"I think that Rodrygo would do very well in the Premier League - he's an excellent player," Shearer said. "I heard one or two things that maybe last year, one or two English clubs were chasing him.

"If that is the case, that he’s not happy at Real Madrid, then there won't be a shortage of offers for him to come and play in the Premier League. I think that there would be two or three clubs who would try and get him.

"I would possibly say Newcastle could be one of those clubs, but that all depends on whether or not he could do it in the Premier League. Could he do it for Newcastle? Yeah, absolutely.

"That all depends on the finances and the deal that's there. I wouldn't put it past them to have a look and whether that would work or not. I don't know his personal situation, but I'm pretty sure that there would be two or three clubs chasing him.

"Bruno Guimaraes will know him very well and if it were to be the case, I'm sure that he would speak to him."

Watch out for left-field signings

It is clear that Newcastle have long-term interest in the likes of Marc Guehi and James Trafford, who have been pursued in previous windows.

But despite all the transfer links and potential sagas that could drag into another summer window, there will always be deals we're working on in the background that have not made the papers.

Sometimes, those out-of-the-blue signings are the best ones, especially as keeping them under wraps avoids rivals hijacking bids or each bid being played out in the press, as we saw with Guehi and Palace last August!

Rodrygo would be an ambitious target and it's not clear if Newcastle are even interested, although I'm sure we'd have a look if the versatile forward did fancy a move to the Premier League this summer.