Newcastle are reportedly lining up a loan move for Flamengo striker Gabriel 'Gabigol' Barbosa in the January transfer window.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe is desperate to bolster his attacking line once the window opens on New Year's Day and was looking at Benfica's Darwin Nunez.
However, according to the Mirror, Newcastle will instead turn their attentions to Barbosa after Benfica refused to sell Nunez in next month's window.
The report goes on to claim that Brazilian club Flamengo would be open to a six-month loan which would include a £17million option to buy should Howe's men beat the drop.
The former Inter Milan striker is not yet convinced over a move to the north east of England and is said to prefer staying put in his homeland of Brazil, where he has a contract with Flamengo until 2024.
Barbosa, 25, who is also known as Gabigol, has scored 14 goals this season while also recording five assists and has featured 17 times for his country.
Howe wants to bring attacking reinforcements in next month after learning that he could be without main man Callum Wilson for a number of months.
Wilson suffered a torn calf muscle in Monday's 1-1 draw with Manchester United and could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Sportsmail also understands that the injury picked up by Allan Saint-Maximin in the same game was calf related, while Ryan Fraser has a hamstring problem.
But it is the loss of top goalscorer Wilson that will be felt the strongest if, as expected, he misses the entirety of the winter schedule.
Howe said after the game that he did not yet know the nature and extent of the injuries which forced Wilson and scorer Saint-Maximin to retire hurt. Both, however, are said to be calf issues, although Saint-Maximin's is less serious.
To add to the injury list, we understand Fraser is nursing a hamstring complaint and that, too, would be a blow for Howe after he put in arguably his best performance in a Newcastle shirt against Manchester United.
Newcastle are also dealing with a Covid outbreak in their camp and Howe will count up the number of players he has available ahead of Thursday's trip to Everton. It would appear likely that the Magpies will request a postponement.
Howe said on Monday night: 'I believe it's 13 plus a goalkeeper to have enough players for a game. We're going to be dangerously close to that number.'
Javier Manquillo is now suspended and, with Jamal Lewis and Matt Ritchie also sidelined, Newcastle are without the three players who have appeared at left back this season.
They named only eight of the nine permitted substitutes against United, and that included two goalkeepers on the bench.