Kieran Trippier is set to join Newcastle United due to Eddie Howe's persuasive discussions with the England international, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
Howe was appointed as the Magpies' head coach in November and it looks as though he is nearing his first signing since taking charge.
What's the latest news involving Trippier?
According to the Express, Newcastle have made a breakthrough in talks with Atletico Madrid over the signing of Trippier.
The report suggests the clubs are on the verge of agreeing a deal expected to be in the region of £25million despite Atletico boss Diego Simeone being keen to keep the 35-cap England star in the Spanish capital.
Trippier waved goodbye to the La Liga giants' fans after featuring in the 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano yesterday.
That came less than 24 hours after it was confirmed that Newcastle had lodged a formal bid, with Howe making the right-back a priority during the January transfer window.
It has been reported that the Magpies are willing to offer Trippier a deal worth £150,000-per-week, which would make him the highest earner in the club's history.
A switch to St James' Park would see the 31-year-old return to the Premier League two-and-a-half-years on from his £20million departure from Tottenham Hotspur.
What has Dean Jones said about Trippier?
Jones believes Howe has played a key role in persuading Trippier to swap Atletico, where he won the La Liga title last term, for Newcastle.
However, the transfer insider feels the final potential stumbling block surrounds what happens if the Magpies fail to stave off relegation to the Championship.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "I think Eddie Howe has been quite convincing in terms of what they can do, especially if they do stay up.
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"But then there's the relegation clauses that need to come in as part of it."
Why is Trippier's arrival a priority for Howe?
Trippier has worked with Howe before, with the full-back making 61 appearances during their time together at Burnley. He also showed his attacking threat by racking up four goals and 11 assists in the process.
Newcastle find themselves in the Premier League's drop zone and their poor defensive record is a key reason for that as they have conceded the joint-most goals in the division this season.
Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth are Howe's only right-back options as it stands, but Trippier would bring a wealth of English top flight experience having featured in the competition 107 times prior to leaving his homeland for Spain.
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