Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix on his radar, FootballTransfers' Jacque Talbot has informed GiveMeSport.

The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, with the Magpies thought to be one of several clubs interested in him.

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Newcastle transfer news - Joao Felix

Talbot recently revealed that Newcastle are keen on Felix and have made him a target.

However, according to the FootballTransfers correspondent, the Portuguese star's preference is to join Manchester United.

The Red Devils are another Premier League side who appear to be interested in Felix, with Fabrizio Romano telling GMS last week that they have had discussions with his agent Jorge Mendes about a transfer.

He joined Atletico from Benfica in a stunning £113m deal back in 2019, as reported by BBC Sport.

Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know

What has Jacque Talbot said about Joao Felix and Eddie Howe?

Talbot says Felix is a player who Howe is considering as he looks to improve his squad.

Speaking to GMS, the journalist said: "Joao Felix is someone Howe has on his radar, as strange as that sounds. I think that Mendes would be looking to drum up a bit of a healthy relationship with Newcastle because you can sort of see down the line how big they'll get and it'd be beneficial for him."

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Will Newcastle win the race for Joao Felix?

Newcastle are certainly an attractive proposition right now. They are flying high in the Premier League and have a very good coach in Howe at the helm.

With the financial backing the Magpies now have, you probably cannot rule anything out. That being said, Felix is attracting interest from some gigantic clubs who have already established themselves at the top.

As well as Manchester United, Chelsea are also said to have the Portugal international on their radar. According to The Telegraph, the Blues are eyeing a loan deal for the player.

Ultimately, while Newcastle are obviously heading in the right direction under Howe and the club's new ownership, it has only been half a good season so far. The St James' Park outfit probably need to do a bit more to prove they are on Chelsea and Manchester United's level.

It means you would have to put them above Newcastle in the race for Felix. But again, as mentioned earlier, because of the upward trajectory the Magpies are on and the wealth they now possess, never say never.

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