Newcastle United are interested in signing Marcos Llorente from Atletico Madrid this summer as manager Eddie Howe targets reinforcements to bolster his Champions League-bound squad.
That being said, the Magpies are oh-so-close to completing their summer business after signing Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento, adding top-class options to a thriving flock.
Finishing fourth in the Premier League last season was a stunning achievement for Howe's side, but with Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all looking to bridge the gap this year, repeating the feat will prove a tricky task indeed and Llorente's addition could provide the stability required.
What's the latest on Marcos Llorente to Newcastle?
According to reports in Spain, Llorente could be set to depart the Wanda Metropolitano and join the crew on Tyneside this month, with Newcastle lodging an offer for the former Real Madrid prospect.
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While a fee is not attached to the piece, Liverpool were rumoured to be interested last year and were in pursuit of a £35m deal for the 28-year-old.
How good is Marcos Llorente?
Llorente has made 150 appearances for Atletico Madrid since signing from city rivals in 2019 for a reported £35m fee, scoring 21 goals, supplying 23 assists and playing a central role in the remarkable LaLiga triumph in 2020/21.
Described as an "incredible footballer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Llorente now ranks among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 2% for progressive passes received per 90, as per FBref.
This could be a recipe for success at St. James' Park, with Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes' ball-playing abilities from deep finding the Spaniard regularly and opening up a whole new dimension to Howe's attacking system.
Indeed, Tonali ranks among the top 8% of midfielders for assists per 90 while Newcastle's Brazilian general ranks among the top 15% of midfielders for shot-creating actions and in the top 14% for progressive passes per 90.
FBref lists Llorente as a comparable player to Magpies ace Sean Longstaff, and securing the Atletico gem's signature could represent the latest upgrade for Howe's team as the increments continue to be made after qualifying for the Champions League last season.
Longstaff ranks among the top 9% of midfielders for touches in the attacking box and the top 16% for progressive passes received per 90, though he also ranks among the bottom 22% of midfielders for progressive carries per 90, indicating that his ball-carrying skills are not that great, rather, that he moves into offensive openings away from the action and latches onto passes.
Hailed as his side's "unsung hero" last term by pundit Paul Merson, the 25-year-old played 33 times last season, recording an average Sofascore rating of 6.74, scoring one goal, providing four assists, completing 83% of his passes and averaging 1.3 tackles per game.
Llorente, comparatively, earned an average score of 6.97 across 22 league outings, making 1.4 key passes per game, completing 86% of his passes, averaging 1.5 tackles per game and clinching one goal and two assists.
There's no doubt that Llorente brings more to the table, and given that he possesses an "influential" presence – as has been claimed by former teammate Luis Suarez – Newcastle might look at making the latest improvement to their burgeoning squad.
Should Llorente join the fold at Newcastle and hit the ground running, his particular set of skills could lead him to take Longstaff's place in the team, and while the Toon midfielder has impressed since Howe's arrival in the dugout, the club must be ruthless as they continue to assemble a squad capable of competing for the most illustrious of honours each season.
