Newcastle United have enjoyed great recent scouting success when it comes to African strikers, with Demba Ba having been sold to Chelsea for a big profit, and Papiss Cisse having made a big impact upon arrival at St James Park.

Last season was a nervy battle against the drop for the Magpies however, and they are in desperate need of reinforcements ahead of the next campaign.

Reports suggest that they have set their sights on prolific Ivorian international centre-forward, Wilfried Bony.

Bony plays for Vitesse Arnhem in the Dutch Eredivise, where he has scored 46 goals in 65 appearances.

The thick-set 24-year-old has also scored eight goals in 20 matches for the senior Cote d’Ivoire team.

According to reports in the European football media, Everton and Swansea also interested in Bony.

But Magpies boss Alan Pardew has put the striker at the top of his transfer agenda, as he seeks to build a better Newcastle team than last season’s strugglers.