Newcastle United are compiling their shortlist of targets for next season after the recruitment department were given the green light to continue their work by the current regime.
Despite the prospect of a takeover, head of recruitment Steve Nickson has been back at work for several weeks now and with action under way in Germany and games in Spain and Italy to follow, the former Blackburn scout will look to provide Steve Bruce with a hit-list.
One player that Nickson is understood to have held talks with via the player's representatives is Nice midfielder Arnaud Lusamba.
The 23-year-old is set to leave Nice at the month and with Ligue 1 scrapped due to the virus pandemic, Lusamba is trying to get his future thrashed out straight away.
Lusamba's representatives have worked with Nickson before with Newcastle striker Joelinton signed through the same agency last summer and previous talks taking place for Stanley Nsoki, one of the midfielder's Nice team-mates, during his time with Paris St-Germain.
United aren't alone in the chase for Lusamba with Leicester, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Lyon and Werder Bremen also monitoring the situation.
Lusamba's lack of a transfer fee means that Nickson will be in a position to push for advanced talks after the word came down from Mike Ashley to club staff that major spending had been paused until the takeover situation has more clarity.
The central midfielder has made 31 appearances in total for Nice, scoring once and making four assists.
He previously starred for Nancy in Ligue 2 where he made 53 appearances, scored 10 goals and assisted four times after a move from Cercle Brugge in Belgium for the former France Under-19 international.
With Newcastle youngster Matty Longstaff's current deal set to expire this month there is concern from supporters who feel the midfielder should be tied down.
Longstaff has at least one offer on the table from a Serie A side.
