The free agent market could be a profitable one for Newcastle United this summer.

With FFP limitations continuing to loom over Newcastle, signing players who don’t require a transfer fee is obviously a prudent way of bolstering Eddie Howe’s squad.

It would of course be foolish to suggest the club will exclusively only be looking for free agents but it does appear to be a strategy at St James’ Park.

Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly, after all, is understood to be of interest as his contract on the south coast comes to a close.

The same can be said of Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo, who Marco Silva has already admitted the club will “probably” lose this summer. In fact, initial talks are already said to have been held with the defender and they are even believed to have gone well.

Now, it seems Newcastle are in the running to sign another player winding down his contract.

Newcastle are in the running to sign a high-profile free agent who Kieran Trippier knows

Indeed, Atletico Madrid’s Mario Hermoso may be one of the more high-profile free agents around this summer.

A La Liga winner alongside Kieran Trippier with the Madrid giants and a Spanish international too, his future would now appear to lie elsewhere.

According to CaughtOffside, the versatile 28-year-old has rejected Atleti’s recent offer of a new deal and is of interest to a number of clubs.

Newcastle are believed to be one of them, although it is currently Aston Villa who reportedly lead the race.

Mario Hermoso already has a key trait Eddie Howe loves at Newcastle

Hermoso is able to play at either centre-back or left-back and has even previously spoken about his brief time on the wing.

Talking about his versatility to AS in 2021, the player said: “There are times when I say ‘I want to play here’. I would like to be a striker and score forty goals a year. But it’s about looking at where the team needs me.”

That versatility could see him please Howe, who has talked about much he values that particular trait when discussing Dan Burn’s importance last month.

“It’s always a balance really,” he said.

“You’re looking at which player can fill which position. I always say ‘the more versatile a player, the more valuable they are’.”

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