Newcastle have been dealt another demoralising blow in their efforts to sign a striker after it emerged that Bafetimbi Gomis has held talks over a move to China. Our pursuit of Gomis is close to turning into a fully-blown transfer saga and speculation surrounding his next destination after running down his contact at Lyon has been endless with a host of clubs from the Premier League and around Europe reportedly keeping tabs on him. However, Chris Atkins, a writer for ESPN, beinSPORT and Bleacher Report, has attempted to clarify Gomis' future in a tweet that states the 28-year-old has spoken to Shanghai Shenua over a surprise switch to China in July. https://twitter.com/ChrisAtkins_/status/478832402270142464 Losing out on Gomis would send managing director Lee Charnley spiralling back to the drawing board in his efforts to deliver the minimum two forwards we urgently require before the Premier League campaign kicks off in two months. It also comes on the back of news that Hamburg have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Pierre-Michel Lasogga from Hertha Berlin despite reports on Monday indicating the Magpies were close to wrapping up a deal for the 22-year-old this week. https://twitter.com/KHeneage/status/478815125617803264 That being said even an 18 million package is incredibly steep for a striker, who scored 13 times for a struggling HSV last season, without a lick of Premier League experience to his name. Gomis is the bigger loss in our minds. Could it get any worse?