Newcastle United have set their sights on two striker alternatives to summer-long target Salomon Rondon, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper claim the Premier League club have tabled a £5million bid for Anderlecht front man Isaac Kiese-Thelin and made an enquiry for Lyon forward Myziane Maolida.
The Mail report United boss Rafael Benitez is “fearful” of missing out on the capture of Rondon after a lengthy pursuit of the West Brom spearhead.
OPINION
There were reports today Newcastle have reopened talks to sign Rondon and that Dwight Gayle could head the other way. Certainly, a deal is possible and it is instructive that the Venezuelan was omitted from the Baggies’ matchday squad for their Championship opener today against Bolton Wanderers. But West Brom have refused to cave in so far to Newcastle and it is understandable that Benitez has major doubts as to whether owner Mike Ashley will pay the asking price for the forward now his £16million release clause has expired. Fans of the north-east giants will not be getting too excited about the prospect of landing Kiese-Thelin, who has also attracted reported interest from Lokomotiv Moscow, while Lyon’s Maolida is one for the future rather than the here and now, with the majority of his 22 appearances for the French club to date coming as a substitute. Newcastle will surely sign one permanent striker before the 9 August cut-off, but few will be betting on the arrival of a player capable of scoring 15-plus goals next season.