Hughton signed the 25-year-old from Coventry in February 2010 for an undisclosed fee on a three and a half year contract for Newcastle.
Best is approaching the final year of his contract at St James' Park, but Alan Pardew will allow him to leave this summer.
Hughton is faced with possiblity that Grant Holt will move on this summer.
If that happened, Hughton would no doubt fancy his chances of luring Best to Carrow Road as he could offer Premier League football.
But newly-promoted Southampton boss Nigel Adkins has also been linked with a bid to take Best back to St Mary's, where he started his professional career in 2004.