Newcastle United and Aston Villa are now battling it out to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna this summer, with the Magpies on the hunt for their Anthony Gordon replacement.

Newcastle make approach to sign La Liga attacker

Eddie Howe may have been quick to reiterate that this summer will be nothing like the last and there will be no repeat of the Alexander Isak saga, Bayern Munich may yet spoil those plans. They've been preparing their Gordon move for quite some time and look set to swoop in at the end of the season.

Newcastle attempted to stand in the way of Isak last summer, before losing him late in the window. The last thing they need is for the Gordon saga to stretch into a similar timeframe. If they've learned anything, it's time to cash in and focus on finding a suitable replacement.

With that said, a La Liga name appears to be on their radar. According to the Mirror, Newcastle have launched contact to sign Munoz from Osasuna, leapfrogging Aston Villa in the race for the winger in the process.

Munoz, still just 22 years old, graduated from Real Madrid's academy and has only been at Osasuna since last summer. In the space of a year, however, he's stormed onto Newcastle's radar after an impressive campaign.

The young winger also spent time at Barcelona's La Masia academy. In terms of pure talent, he is a player who is full of potential. Whether Newcastle's initial contact will be enough to lure him to St James' Park remains to be seen, however.

Impressive Munoz could replace Gordon

Replacing Gordon won't be an easy task, but choosing an ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona gem to do wouldn't exactly be a bad choice. Munoz has proved exactly why he's got the potential to perform at the top level this season too, scoring seven goals and creating another five in all competitions.

It's easy to see why Newcastle have got Munoz on their radar. In terms of numbers, he's matched Gordon in almost every department this season, with the same output and an even better take-on success.

If the Magpies can cash in on their winger for a hefty fee, before welcoming Munoz, then they may be able to reflect on excellent business by the time the summer window comes to an end.

The 22-year-old isn't at the peak of his powers quite yet, but the fact that the goals are now beginning to arrive in La Liga should be seen as an incredibly positive sign.

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