Newcastle Told To Match £29m Roberto Firmino Fee If They Want 19-Goal Forward

Newcastle United have been warned that their £9 million valuation of Bas Dost is well short of the striker's worth - with Wolfsburg wanting a fee reflective of the £29 million Liverpool paid for Roberto Firmino. Dost is one of the Magpies' top striking targets this summer as Steve McClaren looks to recruit two forwards and they value the forward at a shade below £10 million - with Borussia Dortmund also interested. Yet Wolfsburg director Klaus Allofs has scoffed at such a figure, believing that Dost - who netted 19 goals last season - is as valuable to his club as Firmino was to Hoffenheim before the forward moved to Anfield.

Speaking to soccernews.nl, Allofs explained:

€œI read lump-sum payments from ‚10 million (£7.1 million) to ‚12 million (£8.5 million) for Bas, but then I refer to Roberto Firmino's example and say they (Newcastle) will have to get used to higher amounts if any club really wants to buy Dost. "We spoke to his agent for the first time over the last week and it has not turned out that Bas wants to leave. He feels very well in Wolfsburg."

Despite Dutch outlet Voetbal International claiming that the 26-year-old has made it clear to the Wolfsburg board - who he does not get along with anyway - that he will seek pastures new during the upcoming transfer window, the German club are reluctant to let Dost leave.

Furthermore, Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking does not want his star forward to move this summer, even for £9 million - and, judging by comments he made last week, he certainly will not allow the Holland international to head for Tyneside. Speaking to waz-online, Hecking said:

€œWhy should he go to Newcastle? €œHe can play Champions League with us - he won€™t be able to do that at Newcastle in the upcoming years. €œWe don€™t want to sell anybody.€

Long-tracked by Newcastle€™s chief scout Graham Carr, Dost bagged an impressive 16 goals in the Bundesliga last season as Wolfsburg finished second behind champions Bayern Munich. Having managed to get on the scoresheet 20 times in 36 appearances in 2014-15, Dost would add firepower to a Magpies side that was severely lacked in such a department last season. Also, with Dost standing at 6ft 5in tall, he would also offer a physical presence and a variety to the Newcastle attack - something they have lacked since Andy Carroll moved to Liverpool in 2011. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.