L'Equipe claims Newcastle are ready to rival West Ham for striker Gaetan Laborde, who is available for a cut-price £10.8million as his club Montpellier face cut-backs due to the COVID pandemic.
The French sports 'paper says Laborde is availabe in January and tips the Hammers as the team showing most interest in the striker.
But there are also claims that Newcastle have been scouting Laborde, who has three goals and five assists in the Ligue 1 season.
The 26-year-old is in good form for Montpellier but they need to sell to ease their financial situation.
United are looking to bring in reinforcements in January but Steve Bruce is understood to favour ready-made Premier League players.
As ChronicleLive reported this week, Manchester United's Brandon Williams is one of the names being considered as Newcastle look at loans.
They have also been linked with a move for Sam Cosgrove, Aberdeen's target man, as potential squad cover. He may be available for as little as £2million.
