Newcastle face competition from three French clubs for the signing of Nicolas Pepe.
According to a report on talkSPORT the Angers striker is in the transfer thoughts of Lille, Lyon an Monaco despite only scoring three times in the season just ended.
Pepe only started 11 matches but appeared 22 times as a substitute with Angers finishing the season in 12th place in Ligue 1 and losing the French Cup Final to Paris St Germain.
Despite those scoring stats the 21-year-old is highly rated with Monaco renowned for their ability to spot and nurture emerging talent.
Rafa Benitez is making it a priority to bring in players that know the Premier League but is also keeping an eye on younger players that he feels could be suited to English football.
Pepe is under contract until 2019 which gives Angers control over the situation but may find it difficult to deny the striker the opportunity to enjoy a massive pay rise.