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Newcastle United sent scouts to watch Champions League midfielder this week who Paul Mitchell wants to sign

Srinivas Sadhanand

Thu 20 February 2025 14:15, UK Updated Thu 20 February 2025 14:32, UK

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Newcastle United are continuing to work on a potential deal for AS Monaco technician Maghnes Akliouche.

Magpies spirting director Paul Mitchell personally wishes to sign Akliouche — as confirmed by TBR Football in September.

The Frenchman, who is an attacking midfielder by trade is having a terrific season for Monaco and despite being just 22, he has already started 10 games in the Champions League this season.

Newcastle United look like they mean business as several revelations have emerged about their potential transfer targets.

TBR Football revealed that Newcastle are eyeing Marcus Tavernier as well.

But Akliouche is possibly one of the most high-profile targets that is on their radar.

Newcastle United scouted Maghnes Akliouche on Tuesday

TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey can confirm that Newcastle sent scouts to watch Akliouche in action during Monaco’s 1-1 draw against Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The youngster is a player who Paul Mitchell knows very well from his time in France.

However, Akliouche is a talent who Newcastle’s scouts were already very familiar with before Mitchell’s arrival in July 2024.

Apart from playing as a number 10, the highly-rated attacker can also play on both flanks but mostly on the right-wing — a position Newcastle aim to strengthen in particular this summer.

Jacob Murphy has earned praise for Alexander Isak for how well he has performed on the right flank but even so, it seems like Eddie Howe is looking for an upgrade in the transfer market — which might especially be necessary if Newcastle secure European football at the end of the 2024/2025 season.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
7	NewcastleNewcastle	25	12	5	8	42	33	9	41

Aside from watching Akliouche in action, Newcastle also scouted Benfica’s defensive duo of Tomas Araujo and Antonio Silva — two players they are fans of.

Maghnes Akliouche has been coached by Thierry Henry

What might excite Newcastle fans is the fact that Thierry Henry has closely worked with Akliouche when the Arsenal legend was managing France’s side that won the silver medal last year.

Henry is widely considered the greatest players to have ever graced the Premier League and one of the most brilliant minds the game has ever had to offer.

Akliouche’s potential addition to the Newcastle roster could become more appealing solely due to the lessons he has learned from the retired striker.

After Monaco beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League, the pair had a chat on CBS Sports during a post-match interview in September.

Akliouche enjoyed working with Henry, as translated by presenter Kate Scott: “He said that Thierry has clear ideas, that they were very well-explained, that he gave the team freedom and it was that freedom that allowed the team to go as far as they did in the Olympics.”

Paul Mitchell will be hoping to wrap the Newcastle target’s signing up in the summer.