Newcastle want Raphael Guerreiro, who made major impression on Jude Bellingham at Dortmund

By Tom Procter

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Raphael Guerreiro of Borussia Dortmund.

90min reported on Wednesday that the Magpies are one of a few clubs showing interest in the 29-year-old. Some others being Aston Villa and Leeds United.

Guerreiro stands to leave the Bundesliga outfit at the end of the season.

His contract is expiring, and it looks as though he could be set for a new challenge, having been with Dortmund since 2016.

Guerreiro has been a fine player for the Black and Yellows.

He’s made 214 appearances and scored 38 goals and made 45 assists.

Without doubt, he would make an absolutely cracking free signing for somebody.

Especially because he has the capacity to play in many different positions. He’s a left-back by trade. But he can operate further up as a winger. Or even come inside and play in midfield.

Guerreiro is not really a player too many people first think about when they think of Dortmund.

People tend to think about the likes of Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Jude Bellingham. And past starts such as Ilkay Gundogan, Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

It is something that Bellingham actually said himself a couple of years ago.

Jude Bellingham knows full well the quality of reported Newcastle target Raphael Guerreiro

Not long after joining Dortmund from Birmingham City, Bellingham conducted an interview about life at the club.

He spoke about Jadon Sancho being a top young talent.

But he also mentioned Guerreiro, believing he was actually ‘Dortmund’s best player’

He said: “The one player not many people recognise or talk about too much is Raphael Guerreiro. Honestly, he only plays with his left foot but some of the things he can do – his passing, his dribbling – he makes look easy. He runs rings around everyone. To him, it’s a laugh.”

A feature on him from the official Bundesliga website earlier this year painted a very good picture of him indeed. It suggested he had ‘remarkable technical ability’ and also ‘tactical flexibility’.

Guerreiro could potentially be a fantastic signing for Newcastle, especially on a free.

He’d be much more threatening going forwards than Dan Burn. And with Alexander Isak his target in the box, he could well rack up plenty of assists for the Magpies.