Newcastle Target Stalling Over Toon's Lack Of Champions League Football

Aleksandar Mitrovic could reject a move to Newcastle United due to the fact the Magpies are not in the Champions League next season. HLN.be claim Roma, Porto and Benfica cannot afford the £12 million (‚17 million) that Anderlecht want for the 20-year-old forward, but that Newcastle are willing to stump up the cash. However, they also state that the Magpies' lack of European football in 2015-16 could put Mitrovic off moving to Tyneside. Despite this, Mitrovic may be left with no other option and therefore could agree to a transfer to Newcastle this summer.

Roma have also been linked to the 20-year-old and Mitrovic confirmed over the weekend that the Italian club - as well as Tottenham Hotspur - had made him an "offer", although that does not have appeared to haver satisfied Anderlecht. New Newcastle boss Steve McClaren is looking to recruit at least two strikers this summer and Mitrovic is known to be high up the shopping list, alongside Queens Park Rangers forward Charlie Austin. Mitrovic, who has also been linked to Swansea City and Chelsea, has netted 44 goals in 90 matches for Anderlecht and has a career total of 69 strikes from 158 games. A powerful and relatively-quick forward, Mitrovic has an eye for goal and he grabbed headlines when he scored Anderlecht€™s 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 Europe€™s most sought-after forwards. In 2014-15 Mitrovic bagged 28 goals in 51 matches, including 20 in 37 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.