Newcastle United could be set to raid a Premier League rival this summer, with recent reports suggesting that the Magpies are interested in Leeds United sensation, Wilfried Gnonto.

What's the latest on Gnonto to Newcastle?

According to club insider, NUFC Blog, the Tynesiders are seemingly keeping a close eye on the Elland Road outfit's fight for survival, amid the prospect of potentially snapping up the teenage Italian on the cheap this summer if his current side are to suffer relegation.

The report suggests that Eddie Howe and co are 'aware' that 'several capable Premier League players will be available' at the end of the season with the likes of Leeds, Leicester City and Everton all battling to avoid the drop, with Gnonto among those of interest to the St James' Park hierarchy.

The diminutive 19-year-old only made the move to Yorkshire on a £3.8m deal last summer, although a move away from the Whites could already be on the cards, with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City also reportedly keeping tabs on his progress.

Should Newcastle sign Gnonto?

Despite his relative youth, Gnonto has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with his current side thus far despite the club's collective woes, having contributed four goals and four assists in 24 games across all fronts thus far.

A real livewire in attack, the 5 foot 7 ace seemingly has that "X-Factor about him" – according to writer Casey Evans – having also been lauded as a "wonderkid" by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his time at former club FC Zurich, where he provided 22 goal involvements 74 games in all competitions.

The Verbania-born speedster was also dubbed the "new Obafemi Martins" by Kulig after leaving Inter Milan's youth ranks in 2020, with the ex-Newcastle striker having also left the Serie A side in order to make his move to Tyneside back in 2006.

While Martins may not be a real star name for those of a Magpies persuasion, the now-retired marksman did enjoy a respectable three-year spell in the northeast, having scored 35 goals and racked up ten assists in 104 games in total.

Something of a unique talent, the 42-cap machine was hailed as a "special player" by former boss Kevin Keegan back in 2008, with the legendary figure also going on to state that he had "never worked with a player like him".

Gnonto, too, is also able to offer a rather unpredictable quality having been lauded as "like a firework" by pundit Noel Whelan, as he is just such an "exciting player", with it easy to see why the £35m-rated asset is attracting such interest.

The hope will be that the youngster can prove a more successful signing than that of Martins – who was part of the side that suffered relegation in 2009 – and go on to become a leading figure in Howe's squad over the coming years.