Newcastle United have taken huge strides since their Saudi-led takeover in 2021 and could now look to continue their pursuit of success at St James' Park by adding more talent to their squad this summer.
What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Kaoru Mitoma?
According to The Telegraph's Northern football writer Luke Edwards, Newcastle are interested in several Premier League players this summer with Brighton and Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma named as one of the potential targets.
As per the report, despite concerns surrounding the club's Financial Fair Play obligations, both sporting director Dan Ashworth and manager Eddie Howe have stressed the importance of being bold in the transfer window to maintain the high standards they have set throughout this season.
It is claimed that Mitoma is just one of many players that the club are looking to bring in this summer, with Ivan Toney, Declan Rice and James Maddison also named as players already discussed as potential targets.
Will Newcastle sign Mitoma this summer?
There is no doubt that the Newcastle boss will be absolutely thrilled with the phenomenal form his squad have been in over the last nine months, with Champions League football next season becoming a huge possibility for the club ahead of schedule.
The Magpies are currently fourth in the top-flight table after chalking up just four defeats over their 30 fixtures so far and conceding the fewest number of goals (24) in the entire league, which is an incredible achievement for the team.
However, should the North East club find their European football dreams become a reality, it would be advantageous to add some fresh legs and perspectives to key areas of the pitch to ensure they are capable of comfortably competing at the highest level whilst juggling multiple competitions.
As a result, the signing of Mitoma would be a fantastic coup for the club to provide star striker Alexander Isak – a man with five goals in the last month – with a partner in the forward line who can offer high-quality opportunities and further increase their creativity in the final third.
The Brighton winger – who has a reported price tag of £35m – has had an outstanding season and has been one of the Premier League's stand-out performers for his contributions to the Seagulls' impressive campaign.
Mitoma ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, pass completion, progressive carries, touches and tackles.
he matches that dazzling quality and work-ethic with goal involvement too, scoring seven times this term, as well as registering four assists and creating seven big chances over 24 Premier League appearances.
The Japanese forward's huge influence on the pitch has not gone unnoticed, with Brighton's CEO Paul Barber signing Mitoma's praises on The Beautiful Game Podcast last month:
“Obviously, he’s [Mitoma] another player that will be in the spotlight in the next transfer window.
“He is so exciting to watch – a throwback to old-school wingers.”
With that being said, Howe could form a dream strike force for the Magpies this summer by acquiring the services of Mitoma. Indeed, he would fit perfectly alongside their energetic and incisive striker Isak next season to spark more goal contributions and add quality depth to the forward line.