Newcastle United are hopeful of stealing a march on rivals for Bordeaux midfielder Henri Saivet.

The 25-year-old can play as a playmaker or on either wing and has impressed Premier League scouts from Everton, West Brom, Stoke and Southampton this season.

Newcastle hope their French links can sway a deal for the Senegal international who impressed during Bordeaux’s Europa League tie with Liverpool.

West Brom, meanwhile, also like Saivet’s teammate Diego Rolan, the Uruguay international striker.

Bordeaux's Henri Saivet (right) battles with Marseille's Bouna Sarr during a French top flight clash earlier in December, with the playmaker emergeing as a January transfer window target for Newcastle United

Newcastle head into the January transfer window in the bottom three as Steve McClaren looks for ways to guide the Toon back up the table.

Newcastle were beaten 1-0 by West Brom at the Hawthorns thanks to a late Darren Fletcher goal, leaving them two points off Swansea City and safety at the halfway point of the campaign.

Captain Fabricio Coloccini admitted the two festive period defeats have been a bitter pill to swallow.

Darren Fletcher celebrates scoring for West Brom in their 1-0 defeat of Newcastle United - a result which left the Toon inside the bottom three of the Premier League table

Fabricio Coloccini has admitted the Toon players are disappointed with two festive period defeats

'We are all disappointed. It is similar to the Everton game (on Boxing Day), losing by a late goal from a cross,' Coloccini told Newcastle's official website.