Newcastle United's new director of football, Joe Kinnear, wants to have made his first signing by the end of the week, with a second bid for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being considered, according to
The Journal. Kinnear has meetings planned in Newcastle today and has reportedly told the club's owner Mike Ashley that he wants to have delivered a first new signing by Friday, before departing for a planned family break. The Magpies have already seen a £15 million bid for Aubameyang
rejected, but Newcastle are prepared to go in with a fresh offer with French sources claiming the 24-year-old forward would welcome the opportunity to talk to the club. St Etienne are holding out for as much as possible for the Gabon international, who permanently joined the Ligue 1 outfit from AC Milan in 2011 having spent a stint on loan at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. His club are hoping to raise around £17 million for the striker. Kinnear's appointment as director of football at St James' Park provoked fury among fans, and the ex-Toon manager, who bossed the club between 2008 and 2009 before stepping aside due to health issues, has apparently stressed to Ashley that delivering a signing would lend his new role at the club some much needed credibility.