Report: It would now take 'eye-watering fee' for Newcastle to sign player who almost joined in 2020

Eddie Howe has his eye on a few Premier League forwards going into the summer transfer window each with their own pros and cons.

Newcastle United reportedly have their eye on Dominic Calvert-Lewin who is certainly a good forward, but spends almost as much time on the treatment table as he does the pitch. There's Dominic Solanke who had a phenomenal season for Bournemouth - but has rarely come close to those heights before so was it a fluke?

Another player on Newcastle's radar is West Ham's Jarrod Bowen who almost signed for The Magpies in 2020 before joining The Hammers. There are no question marks over his ability, and even though he's not an out-and-out centre-forward, he's played there many times for West Ham this season.

His big issue according to The Mirror, is that he's very settled at West Ham and convincing him to move would be nigh-on impossible.

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Bowen is to become the main figure for Lopetegui's new-look Hammers

Bowen is possibly West Ham's best player next to Lucas Paqueta - although he may not be in the picture much longer if he fails in his appeal to overturn his match-fixing allegations.

The England international scored 16 goals and provided six assists in the Premier League this season in a West Ham side that often struggled.

David Moyes has also left the club and a new manager, Julen Lopetegui is in and he apparently wants to shape the team around Bowen.

A Champions League club may have a shot at signing Bowen

With him being the main man now, The Mirror suggests it would take a Champions League club or an eye-watering amount of money to lure Bowen away from West Ham.

That's money Newcastle simply don't have thanks to Financial Fair Play - although now it has been confirmed we're not playing in Europe next season we don't have to abide by UEFA's stricter financial rules, so that does open up the budget slightly.

If there was any way that Newcastle could find to make this one happen, though, I say we take it. Short of shipping Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon or Alexander Isak out to make the money that is.