Rafael Benitez will take on Liverpool to sign Celtic defender Kieran Tierney.
Tierney has won successive Scottish titles since making his first-team breakthrough in 2014 and also attracted interest from several Premier League clubs.
Chelsea are among those credited with monitoring the left-back’s rise but the Reds have also joined the hunt and are likely to face some familiar opposition.
According to the Daily Star, Benitez is preparing to challenge his former club for Tierney, 19, as he looks to strengthen newly-promoted Newcastle’s squad options.
Uncertainty continues to overshadow the Spaniard’s achievement of taking the Magpies back into the Premier League just a season after they were relegated.
Benitez is yet to commit his long-term future to St James Park despite owner Mike Ashley preparing to arm him with the required funds to bolster his ranks.