Newcastle target exciting transfer for Brazil forward Gabriel 'Gabigol' Barbosa

Newcastle are interested in a loan for Brazil international forward Gabriel Barbosa after Benfica refused to sell Darwin Nunez in January.

Toon boss Eddie Howe is desperate for more firepower to boost the Magpies' Premier League survival hopes.

He has plenty of resources following the club's £300million Saudi takeover.

Barbosa, 25, known as Gabigol, is among the options being explored after 14 goals and five assists this term in his homeland with Flamengo, who finished runners-up when the Brazilian top-flight concluded this month.

Flamengo are open to a six-month loan in January if it includes a £17million deal to make it permanent in the summer should Newcastle survive.

But Barbosa is not convinced about moving to Tyneside in the New Year as he unsure Newcastle will be able to attract many other top players next month.

The former Inter Milan striker has told Flamengo he prefers to stay with them, where he is under contract until 2024.

The Brazilian international has scored five goals for his country in 17 appearances.

Super-agent Pini Zahavi is trying to set up the loan but Barbosa's reluctance to join Newcastle's relegation battle has left the north east club considering other options.

Earlier this month Newcastle also sought out Benfica striker Nunez, who has 13 goals and two assists this term.

But the Portuguese club declined any interest in selling the Uruguay striker in January.

Benfica said they would only be interested in selling Nunez, 22, in the summer and demanded a whopping £60m.

Newcastle's need for more firepower was unlined in Monday's 1-1 draw with Manchester United as the hosts saw just a second Premier League win of the season wrenched from their grasp.

Howe said: "Naturally we're disappointed not to win, I thought we deserved to.

"We defended really well, I thought we were really tight in our lines.

"I thought we were really diligent, tactically excellent, the players defended very well in partnerships.

"Then we were really good on transitions, a real counter-attacking threat throughout the match and created some really good chances to have got that second goal, which was probably crucial in the end."

A well-deserved point came at a cost with Callum Wilson suffering a potentially serious injury and Allan Saint-Maximin also limping off to leave a squad, already depleted by positive Covid tests, further decimated ahead of Thursday night's scheduled trip to Everton.

Asked if he expected that game to go ahead, Howe said: "I don't know. We'll see what the situation is with the players that we have."