Rafa Benitez is reportedly eyeing up a move for 18-year-old Arnel Jakupovic. He could be one of Rafa’s first buys as he and Lee Charnley were handed over the reigns of the transfer funds from the hierarchy of the club.
The youngster had previously been playing in Middlesbrough’s academy but he recently left to join the Serie A side Empoli, for whom he just made his debut for at the weekend, coming on in the late end of the second half in a 3-1 win over Bologna.
The Serie A side also reportedly want to sell him on for around six times that they originally paid for him when he left Middlesbrough for only £850,000, which means he will be given a price tag of £6 million.
Sources in Italy are saying that Newcastle are eager to bring him back to England.
After Rafa was seen attending an Under 23 cup match just a day after clinching the championship title, could he possibly be looking at more players to bring in to develop through the ranks at Newcastle United?
