Newcastle United are reportedly poised to beat Chelsea and Manchester United to the signature of Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara.
The 22-year-old is about to enter the final six months of his deal with the Ligue 1 outfit, and there is no imminent sign of an extension.
As a result, Les Olympiens will come under pressure to garner a fee for Kamara next month before the highly-rated midfielder departs on a free transfer in the summer.
Man United and Chelsea are both rumoured to be in the race for Kamara, but The Sun claims that Newcastle are hoping to steal a march with a £10m swoop in January.
The report adds that the Magpies will soon enter talks with the Frenchman's entourage, with Eddie Howe believing that the Marseille man is 'too good' to let slip through the net.
Kamara boasts four goals and five assists from 142 appearances at Marseille and has been capped nine times by the France Under-21 side.