Newcastle have made a £33.5 million ($45m) bid for Arsenal-linked Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, GOAL can confirm.
The Magpies are pushing ahead with a significant recruitment drive under their new Saudi-backed owners, with over £30m ($41m) already spent to sign Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Chris Wood from Burnley.
More incomings are expected at St James' Park before the winter window closes as Eddie Howe seeks to build a team capable of avoiding relegation, and Guimaraes is next on the club's list of targets.
Newcastle have launched an opening offer for Guimaraes, who has also been strongly linked with Arsenal over the past few weeks.
GOAL understands that the Magpies are now waiting for a response from Lyon, but it is not yet clear whether the Brazilian is open to a move to Tyneside.
Guimaraes initially headed to the Ligue 1 side from Athletico Paranaense in January 2020, and still has two-and-a-half years left to run on his current contract.
Guimaraes added fuel to the rumours of a potential move away from Lyon on January 24 as he suggested his talent is being stifled in Ligue 1.
"In France, there are moments where we play like robots, nobody tries to dribble, to find a pass, for example," he told Globo Esporte.
"That irritates me sometimes, it is a bit frustrating. I think that those who have talent should profit from that, try to dribble, try to link moves. If you do that, your game will be complete."
He added: "My objective at Lyon is to be champion… We are doing well in the Europa League, a competition that we have begun well in. Ligue 1 is very difficult."
GOAL can confirm that Newcastle also approached Sevilla over a possible deal for defender Diego Carlos.
However, the two clubs are too far apart in their valuation of the player at the moment, with Sevilla reluctant to sell one of their prized assets midway through the season.
In addition, the Magpies had been interested in signing Atalanta full-back Robin Gosens, but he would prefer to remain in Italy and is in talks to join Inter.
Newcastle had also reportedly been chasing Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, as well as Tottenham's Dele Alli, although discussions over a loan move for the former are reportedly on the verge of collapsing.
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