Chelsea are among the clubs understood to be tracking Newcastle United's highly-rated young Cumbrian midfielder Joe White.

The teenager's contract at St James' Park is up in June and big clubs in England and Scotland are monitoring the situation.

Reports have credited Old Firm duo Rangers and Celtic with interest in the Carlisle prospect.

Chelsea are also thought to be interested in 19-year-old White.

Newcastle are expected to be keen to secure the player's long-term future amid further interest from clubs in the German Bundesliga and Dutch Erdivisie, according to the Chronicle, who also claim Leeds failed in a bid for the teenager last summer.

White has impressed with his displays for Newcastle's Under-23s and was named on the bench for their top-flight game against Manchester United earlier in the season.

He has also featured for the Magpies' Under-21s in the Papa John's Trophy, scoring in their 6-3 defeat to Mansfield recently.

That followed a first senior appearance in pre-season when White came off the bench for the first team in a friendly outing against Rotherham, under former Newcastle boss Steve Bruce.

White is the son of Jamie and Fiona and the grandson of the late former Workington Reds manager and Carlisle United player, coach and physio Peter Hampton.

The midfielder was on Carlisle's books from the age of seven to 13, joining Newcastle in 2016 and signing his first professional deal in November 2019.

He has represented at England Under-18 level and is now hoping to impress new Toon manager Eddie Howe.