Newcastle United ready to challenge for £42m lethal striker on Chelsea and Arsenal's radar

Newcastle United and Liverpool were both represented in the stands as Portuguese giants Sporting CP romped to a 5-1 win against Estoril to remain at the top of the Primeira Liga table.

The Friday night fixture saw former Tottenham Hotspur winger Marcus Edwards steal the show with a brace and there was a goal apiece for Nuno Santos, Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincao as Sporting ensured they ended the weekend with a one-point lead over nearest rivals Benfica.

Several Sporting stars are reportedly capturing the interest of a number of clubs around Europe and Newcastle and Liverpool were said to be monitoring the progress of players at either end of the pitch. The Reds have been linked with a move for defender Goncalo Inacio as the Portugal international continues to cement his reputation as one of European football's most south after defenders. Newcastle's interest and their reason for being represented at the Estadio Jose Alvalade was to assess the performance of former Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres - according to HITC Football.

The Sweden international has plundered his way to 18 goals in 22 games in all competition since joining Sporting in a deal believed to be worth around £20m. His form since moving to Portugal brought strong links with a return to England after the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal were all said to be keen on the 25-year-old frontman.

However, Gyokeres hit out at the speculation in an interview last month, telling Record: "I think it’s a bit like when Sporting came in to sign me. I’m very happy here and I don’t care about any interested parties at the moment. I’m enjoying every day here and not thinking about what’s going on around me. Yes, there’s talk of big clubs, but for now it’s just news. That’s all. Yes. This is where I want to stay."

Newcastle are believed to be keen to add a forward to their squad during the January transfer window as they look to provide strong competition for Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, with the latter expected to return from injury by the end of the month.

The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle are solely relying on the in-form Isak at the top end of the pitch - although Wilson is believed to be in line to return to contention at the end of January. Given the fitness struggles of both players during the first half of the season, it seems likely the Magpies will move for an attacking player before the end of the transfer window.

However, United's battles with Financial Fair Play regulations means it's more likely to be a loan deal with an option or obligation to buy, rather than a cash deal. That means any possible move for Gyokeres, if indeed he is or was to become a target, would likely come during the summer when the impact of recently agreed sponsor deals would come into play.