TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Newcastle United had scouts in attendance at Portman Road on Saturday as they continue to assess a number of potential transfer targets ahead of the summer window.
The Magpies are enjoying a strong season, having already won the League Cup and pushing for a top-four finish. Victory over Chelsea takes them to third, just one point above Manchester City.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal |
35 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 64 | 31 | 33 | 67 |
| 3 |  Man CityManchester City |
36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 67 | 43 | 24 | 65 |
| 4 |  NewcastleNewcastle |
35 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 66 | 45 | 21 | 63 |
| 5 |  ChelseaChelsea |
35 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 62 | 41 | 21 | 63 |
With Champions League qualification in sight, Newcastle are planning a busy summer window, with defensive reinforcements a key priority.
Newcastle tried to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi last summer, submitting several bids for him, going upto £60m, but each was rejected.
Guehi remains on the club’s list but another defender the club has eyes on is Brentford’s Nathan Collins.
Newcastle send scouts to watch Brentford’s Nathan Collins
TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that Newcastle are doing background work on Nathan Collins, with the club taking a growing interest in the Republic of Ireland international in recent months.
While Newcastle have been keeping tabs on attackers Bryan Mbuemo and Liam Delap, TBR Football can confirm that the Magpies had scouts present at the game between Brentford and Ipswich Town to monitor Collins.
Collins, who joined Brentford from Wolves last summer for £23m, has caught the eye with a string of assured performances in the Premier League this season.
While it is said that Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi remains one of their most likely options, the club is casting a wide net, and Collins has firmly entered the conversation.
Arsenal also tracking Nathan Collins
As previously reported by TBR Football, Arsenal have also been monitoring Collins, underlining the growing recognition the 24-year-old is receiving across the Premier League.
The midfield and attack remain the priority for Andrea Berta going into next season but the club are also keen on adding options to their defence.
The Gunners are also linked with Dean Huijsen, who remains one of the most highly sought-after defenders this summer.
Arsenal are also working on Saliba’s contract extension, hoping to tie his long-term future at the club amid strong interest from Real Madrid.
With both Newcastle and Arsenal now seriously considering Collins, Brentford could find themselves facing summer bids for one of their key assets.
Given the needs of the two clubs at the back, it would make more sense for the player to join Newcastle where he will be guaranteed a place in the starting XI, compared to Arsenal where he will have to compete with the likes of Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for a place in the starting XI.
