Newcastle United are reportedly open to breaking their transfer record to sign Barcelona winger Raphinha.
The Magpies are currently on course to end their two-decade absence from the Champions League through a top-four finish in the Premier League standings.
Newcastle require seven points from their final five fixtures to guarantee a return to European football's top table, and it has led to the club to contemplate their options in the transfer market.
Eddie Howe has allegedly put together a shortlist of three players that he would like to sign, including Leicester City playmaker James Maddison.
However, according to Jijantes, Raphinha remains very much in the thoughts of the English giants.
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The report claims that Newcastle would be prepared to spend as much as £71m in order to win any race for the Brazil international.
While Raphinha has endured a mixed first campaign at Camp Nou, he is on his way to justifying his alleged £50m price tag with a number of match-defining performances.
In total, the former Leeds United man has contributed seven goals and six assists from his 21 starts and 10 substitute outings in La Liga, the most in the Barcelona squad aside from forward Robert Lewandowski.
The 26-year-old possesses a contract with the Catalan giants until the end of 2026-27 campaign and he is known to be happy with life at the club.
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Nevertheless, Barcelona's financial situation complicates matter with the powers-that-be needing to make significant cutbacks to help balance the books.
If reports are to be believed, the plan had been to cash in on Ansu Fati, but his father told media on Tuesday that the Spain international would be staying put.
Although Barcelona have other options when it comes to raising funds, Raphinha falls into a category of possessing a high valuation that other clubs may be willing to meet.
Newcastle could partially offset any outlay with the sale of Allan Saint-Maximin, who may be made available for transfer at the end of the season.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with Raphinha, although a move to the latter appears highly unlikely now that they are effectively out of contention for Champions League qualification.
Darren Plant
