Former Newcastle United chief scout Graham Carr has revealed how he urged owner Mike Ashley to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at St Etienne.

Speaking with the Daily Mail, Carr spoke of the players they missed out on.

"If the club were honest and went through the records… Hakim Ziyech, Wilfred Ndidi, James Maddison," he told the Daily Mail.

"I saw Raphael Varane play for Lens when he was 17 and I called Derek Llambias (managing director) that night. You get excited when you spot one.

"Mike and I went to Saint-Etienne to watch (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang. Mike just said, 'Who am I watching?' You recommend them, but then you just don't know what happens sometimes."