Newcastle and Manchester United track same transfer targets: Report

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The Red Devils may go down to the Championship but they keep messing around.

Newcastle United and Manchester United appear to be targeting similar players in their ongoing scouting efforts, according to a report by Craig Hope of the Daily Mail.

"Newcastle and Manchester United scouts have run into each other on several occasions of late," Hope wrote.

Hope noted that Steve Nickson, Newcastle's head of recruitment, and Simon Wells, his Manchester United counterpart, were both in attendance at the Ligue 1 clash between Lille and Nice on January 17.

Although it's reasonable to expect both clubs to be there scouting sought-after Canada international Jonathan David, whose contract expires this summer and who has bagged 102 goals across five seasons in France, the truth is that NUFC and Man Utd might have their eyes set on someone else.

Both clubs "returned reports on Hakon Arnar Haraldsson," Hope wrote, with the lad happening to be a 21-year-old Iceland international.

Touching on Haraldsson's qualities, Hope described that the midfielder/winger as someone who "has won comparison to Luka Modric for his ability on the ball."

Nickson and Manchester United scout Steve Head were also present at Brentford's 2–2 draw with Manchester City on Jan. 14, where the focus of their attention was reportedly Brentford forward Bryan Mbuemo.

Hope adds that Newcastle have been tracking Brentford's Keane Lewis-Potter as well. However, the 23-year-old recently signed a new deal keeping him at Brentford until 2031, which "indicates that his future lies in West London," nearly ruling out a transfer for him any time soon.