Newcastle Transfer News: Magpies Dealt Blow In Bid To Sign Aleksandar Mitrovic

Magpies look set to be denied in their pursuit of the Serbian forward.

By Chris Waugh / June 3, 2015

Despite reports suggesting Newcastle United had "agreed" to sign striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, Anderlecht insist they will not sell the forward this summer. Partizan Belgrade president Dragan Duric claimed in May that a deal had been agreed between the Magpies and Anderlecht for his former player, while reports in Germany suggested Borussia Monchengladbach were trying to hijack the £15 million move. The 20-year-old Serbian has netted 42 goals in 88 matches for the Belgian club, and has a career total of 67 strikes from 156 games - and Anderlecht general manager Hermann van Holsbeeck has insisted the club do not want him to leave.

In an interview with Sport Foot Magazine, Van Holsbeeck said:

"At 20, Mitrovic has scored 20 league goals this season (2014-15). "He scored against Arsenal, (Borussia) Dortmund and has also played for Serbia - this is a striker who you know can really improve a side. "Therefore we have decided against selling him - Mitro is aware and he wants to stay."

Both Newcastle and Monchengladbach missed out on Max Kruse, who moved to Wolfsburg instead, and now the pair hope to do battle for Serbia striker Mitrovic, but their respective pursuits have been dealt a blow. Although clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked to the 6ft 3in forward, reports claimed Newcastle had supposedly agreed to part with £15 million for a player they have courted for more than a year.

Speaking to Mundo last month, Duric claimed Partizan would receive 20% of the fee, or 3.4 million for the sell-on of Mitrovic from Anderlecht - which puts the full sum of the transfer at approximately 22 million, or £15 million.

"All of you criticised me when I sold Mitrovic and now it has turned out that it was an excellent move. "We sold him for 5 million and now Partizan will gain another 3.4 million - a total of 8.4 million for one player. "According to my information, the transfer of Mitrovic to Newcastle is a done deal - it is a matter of time before he signs."

A powerful and relatively-quick forward, Mitrovic has an eye for goal and he grabbed headlines when he scored Anderlechts equaliser at the Emirates Stadium last November when the Belgian side came from three goals down to draw 3-3 against Arsenal in a Champions League group-stage match. Anderlecht paid Partizan Belgrade a club-record £4 million for the 11-cap Serbia international, who started his career at Teleoptik, back in August 2013 and he has gone on to become one of Europes most sought-after forwards. In 2014-15 Mitrovic bagged 26 goals in 49 matches, including 18 in 35 Belgian Pro League appearances and three in the Champions League. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.