Newcastle United are taking their interest in Dominik Szoboszlai to a new level as they approach a pivotal transfer window.
The Magpies have secured a spot in next season's Champions League with Liverpool now mathematically unable to leapfrog them or Manchester United in the Premier League table.
It's a huge achievement for Eddie Howe, his coaching staff and his players, but the pressure is now on to capitalise on the opportunity to play in Europe's most prestigious tournament.
What's the latest on Dominik Szoboszlai to Newcastle?
Sky Sports shared an exciting Newcastle transfer update on Thursday, revealing that the Magpies have ramped up their interest in Hungarian playmaker Szoboszlai in the last two weeks. They said:
"We fully expect it to be a really busy summer transfer window for Newcastle following their Champions League qualification.
"We understand their scouts have watched the RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai twice in the last fortnight."
The 22-year-old has recently commented on his transfer plans following this season but has remained coy. He was asked if he will stay at Leipzig next season before simply replying:
"Next question!"
His manager, Marco Rose, was similarly unbothered by questions surrounding his talented midfielder's future, telling journalists:
“Dominik Szoboszlai has developed excellently in Leipzig and knows what he brings to the team and our game.
"The most important thing is that he focuses on the last three games. We have Bayern, Schalke and the cup final. That’s where the focus has to be.”
Why does Eddie Howe want Szoboszlai at Newcastle?
For a start, his numbers this season have been excellent. In 44 appearances, he has scored nine goals, as per Transfermarkt. In addition to his impressive strike rate from midfield, the playmaker has 13 assists, making him a dangerous double threat that Premier League defences would be extremely worried about.
Despite his enviable end product, Szoboszlai, hailed as a "generational talent" in the media, is well-rounded and provides value in many other areas. Fbref reports that the midfielder is heavily involved in buildup play, ranking in the 94 percentile for touches per 90 while he is a force off the ball, intercepting 1.41 passes per 90.
With Newcastle set to play in the Champions League, signing a player of Szoboszlai's quality could put them in good stead to continue challenging in the Premier League while making an impact in Europe. Fabrizio Romano reports that the player has a €70m (£60m) release clause in his contract, and it looks as if this will be one to watch.