Newcastle Get Creative With New Bid For Top Target

Vuckic could be used as a potential makeweight in order to bring Austin to Tyneside.

by Chris Waugh

Newcastle United have offered Haris Vuckic to Queens Park Rangers as a portion of a potential part-exchange deal for Charlie Austin. As WhatCulture.com/NUFC first reported last week, the Magpies are unwilling to meet QPR's £15 million asking price for the 18-goal hitman, so instead they will flesh out their offer with a fringe player potentially moving the other way. The Daily Mail now claim that 22-year-old midfielder Vuckic is the man who could move to Loftus Road if Austin does find himself on Tyneside come the end of the summer.

On Tuesday, The Chronicle reported that the Magpies board are holding €œongoing transfer meetings€ and also stated that head coach Steve McClaren has handpicked Austin as his new No 1 recruitment target going forward. After securing the signings of Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic €“ with Chancel Mbemba€™s arrival also close - McClaren has earmarked the 18-goal QPR hitman as the next player he wants through the door at St James€™ Park. Seemingly it now appears as if McClaren is willing to let Vuckic leave in a bid to bring Austin to Tyneside. QPR boss Chris Ramsey confirmed last week that the west London club have rejected more than one offer for Newcastle target Austin during this transfer window €“ and that the striker himself has also rebuffed some of them. Leicester City are known to have had a £12 million offer turned down earlier in the summer, but it is unclear who the second bid came from - with the likes of Villa, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, AFC Bournemouth and the Magpies also interested in the forward.
The 26-year-old netted 18 Premier League goals last season and is one of the most sought-after strikers in England, plus he is entering the final year of his QPR contract. And his current manager at QPR has revealed that the club have rejected more than one bid already for the former Swindon Town and Burnley hitman this off-season. Quoted in The Mirror, Ramsey said:
€œThere have been offers. A player of Charlie€™s ability, there will always be speculation. €œAt the moment, there has been nothing concrete. We€™ve had offers that we€™ve rejected, and we€™ve had offers that Charlie himself has not been happy to take on. €œAt the moment, he€™s a QPR player and he€™s working hard in training.€
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Contributor
Contributor

NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.