Premier League Duo Monitoring Spain U21 International as Transfer Interest Heats Up

Newcastle and Southampton are understood to be monitoring the progress of former Leeds United winger Alfonso Pedraza, as talk of a potential return to English football increases, according to a report from IBTimesUK.

Pedraza, who spent pent the end of last season at Elland Road, is currently on loan again - this time with La Liga outfit Deportivo Alavés - as he finds first team appearances at his parent club Villarreal hard to come by.

The 21-year-old made 14 appearances for Leeds during his short spell in Yorkshire, scoring one goal as a second-half substitute at St. Andrew's to secure a 3-1 victory over Birmingham City in March.

Having already made nine appearances this season, in which Pedraza's only assist of the campaign helped guide Alavés to a 2-0 victory over Levante, Rafa Benitez and Mauricio Pellegrino have begun scouting the Spanish U21 international ahead of a potential transfer.

Newcastle's manager is understood to be interested in adding to his contingent of Spanish players at St James' Park, with Joselu, Javier Manquillo and Mikel Merino already becoming important players in the Magpies first team.

Southampton's Argentine manager could be swayed to hold off on a move for Pedraza, if Sofiane Boufal - who scored a wonder goal in the Saints recent 1-0 victory over West Brom - can begin to replicate the form he showed in Ligue 1 over the next few months on the south coast.