Newcastle United missed out on striker Stevan Jovetic in the summer after failing to free up funds, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper claims that the Magpies were chasing the 28-year-old in the last transfer window when he was at Inter Milan.
It was understood that Rafael Benitez was in the driving seat as he had a good connection with the attacker’s representatives and had contacts with the Italian giants.
However, the Montenegro international ended up completing a move to French outfit Monaco for £10million in the summer to replace Kylian Mbappe.
The report details that the Newcastle board fluffed their lines by not freeing up enough funds for his signature and that the North East club had a great chance of signing him if they had done so.
Jovetic is well known to English audiences from his time with Manchester City in the Premier League and is recognised for being a great finisher.
He is currently battling for his position in the Monaco side, while Newcastle did go ahead and sign Joselu for £5million in the summer.
The attacking options have been a weak area for Benitez so far this season and they could be struggling if it was not for their resilient defence.
Newcastle’s current owner Mike Ashley could depart St James’ Park in the near future, with Amanda Staveley widely tipped to complete a takeover.
That is set to give the club more financial power in the transfer window and could mean scenarios like the Jovetic is avoided in future.
OPINION
One area that Newcastle certainly need to strengthen in January is to bring in a top quality striker that can be a regular source of goals, with summer arrival Joselu unable to provide that sort of service. Jovetic could have been a great addition if he had joined and would surely have been a more dangerous goal threat. The centre-forward is clinical in the 18-yard box and that predatory instinct is currently missing. Newcastle fans are encourage by an imminent takeover that will help them compete in the transfer market and in truth £10million for Jovetic would have been a good pick-up, but his wages may have been the only stumbling block.