Newcastle's frustrating summer transfer window looks set to claim another casualty, with Sky Sports reporting that Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi is edging towards a move to Aston Villa instead.
The Swiss international, who impressed at the World Cup, appears to have snubbed the Magpies in favour of Unai Emery's project at Villa Park, according to the report.
Should the deal go through, Manzambi would become the tenth player Newcastle have missed out on this window - a striking number that highlights the club's struggles to convince targets to move to Tyneside despite their Premier League and European ambitions.
Sky Sports haven't detailed exact terms or timing of any Villa agreement, but Newcastle's inability to close out deal after deal will raise fresh questions about their recruitment strategy heading into the new season.
For Villa, landing Manzambi would represent another shrewd addition as Emery continues shaping his squad with promising young talent from across Europe.