English Championship promotion favourites Newcastle United are the latest club linked with an interest in signing Dundalk winger Daryl Horgan.
According to the Irish Daily Mail's David Sneyd, Rafa Benitez has sent scouts to "keep tabs" on the 24-year-old and that they had been present at Tallaght Stadium for Dundalk's Europa League group match against Zenit Saint Petersburg two weeks ago.
If a move to England's North-East was to materialise, Horgan could find himself in the Premier League next season as Newcastle are top of the Championship and heavy favourites to immediately bounce back to the top flight.
The Magpies, who already have Irish internationals Rob Elliot, Ciaran Clark and Daryl Murphy on their books this season, aren't the first club to be linked with the winger.
Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town have reportedly been keeping an eye on Horgan.
Rafa Benitez
Beyond England, Major League soccer side Colorado Rapids, where Irish players Kevin Doyle and Sean St Ledger play, were also linked with him.
Meanwhile, Damien Duff's former club in Australia, Melbourne City denied that they were planning a move after being linked with the player.
Horgan has been a key figure in Dundalk's three League of Ireland title wins in a row and their European success this season.
On Thursday night, he scored for Dundalk in the 2-1 defeat to Zenit in Russia, showing pace to break free and composure to finish with confidence.
In a memorable week for the player, he also received a call-up to the provisional Ireland squad alongside Dundalk team-mate Andy Boyle.
Horgan, whose international credentials had been touted in recent weeks, described the call-up as "a massive honour" and will hope to make it into the final squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Austria next week.
Indeed, prior to that call-up, he had spoken to Newstalk about the possibility of a call-up, saying: "If I can do well in that maybe Martin [O'Neill] might decide to bring me into the squad."
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