Napoli enter race for 24-year-old Brazilian forward Newcastle United scouted in Champions League action recently

Paul Mitchell has stepped up his summer preparations after a visit from Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

Newcastle have plenty of gaps in the squad that need plugging, but one area you'd think we pretty much have covered is the left-wing.

Anthony Gordon is the first choice for that position and will take some shifting, but for times like now when he's unavailable, Harvey Barnes can do a more than adequate job and if we're really stuck, Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Joe Willock have all done a job down that left flank.

However, Newcastle have their eye on another left-sided forward, although Igor Paixao can play on the right and through the middle too.

Newcastle scouted Igor Paixao recently, but Napoli are making moves

Newcastle recently scouted the 24-year-old Brazilian in Champions League action up against Kyle Walker, but since then, Paixao has caught the eye of Italian giants Napoli.

Having bagged a hat-trick along with two assists in Feyenoord's 6-2 win over FC Twente, Il Mattino are now claiming that Napoli will provide serious competition for Paixao's signature, with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest both keen too.

Igor Paixao has nine goals and 11 assists in 25 Eredivisie games this season, and after that fantastic goal contribution haul against FC Twente, Napoli doesn't want to waste any time and is said to be making a move imminently.

Igor Paixao doesn't strike us as a player we'll be fighting too hard to sign this summer

It doesn't feel like finding more talent for the left side of our attack is a priority, so unless Newcastle feel they can convince Igor Paixao to switch flanks, we don't see there being much to this one.

The Brazilian clearly has talent, but along with the fact that he doesn't play in a priority position, the step up from the Eredivisie to the Premier League is a big one that Newcastle have had very mixed results with.

We'll see, but we're not expecting Igor Paixao to be a Newcastle player next season. Although watching his tear through FC Twente, we certainly wouldn't say no.