Newcastle United have joined the race to sign Wigan Athletic striker Arouna Kone, according to
Sky Sports. Everton are understood to be in pole position for the Ivorian international, however, but the Magpies have also been granted permission to speak with the player. The forward has a £5 million release clause built into his contract at the DW Stadium and is hoping to activate that following the Latic's relegation from the Premier League in May. Kone has only been at Wigan for a year after arriving from Spanish outfit Levante last summer, and impressed under Roberto Martinez, scoring 11 league goals. But Martinez, who is now in charge at Goodison Park, could scupper Newcastle's pursuit of the player by signing him again - for Everton. The story that Kone could move to St James' Park first appeared on the
SportsDirect News website earlier today before being picked up by
Sky Sports,
NUFC.com explains. The site is owned by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and made headlines back in May when it ran an "exclusive" claiming the Magpies were interested in signing Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, before backtracking and swiftly issuing an apology, saying the rumour was "without authority, merit and is untrue." The Kone speculation should therefore be treated with caution. Nevertheless, manager Alan Pardew is on the lookout for a new striker after Demba Ba's January departure for Chelsea, with St Etienne's Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Aston Villa's Darren Bent also being linked with the North East club.