Fulham captain Tom Cairney is interesting Newcastle United, according to a report.
Newcastle United are reportedly set to battle it out with Leicester City for the £20million signature of Fulham captain Tom Cairney, but the Toon have a trump card over the Foxes.
The Sun claim Newcastle want the 27-year-old who is valued at £20million, after gaining a place on the shortlist for Championship Player of the Year following another excellent season under Slavisa Jokanovic.
Fulham’s number 10 has had a hand in nine goals this season, scoring four and turning provider a further five occasions and although he has not been as prolific as last season, he remains just as influential.
The driving force behind Fulham’s promotion chase, Cairney has combined with in-form Newcastle loanee Aleksander Mitrovic at Craven Cottage. The powerful Toon forward has now amassed eight goals in 11 games.
Owner Mike Ashley has prevented Rafa Benitez from spending the necessary funds this season in the transfer market, and meeting Fulham’s valuation is something that the Toon supremo is unlikely to do.
So, Newcastle need to find another way in which to meet Fulham’s demands and chucking Mitrovic into a deal for Cairney could see the former Leeds United youngster’s value dramatically drop – so much so that Ashley may sanction a deal.
Currently in third place and five points behind the automatic promotion slots, Fulham have been boosted in their hunt for Premier League football with the loan signing of Mitrovic and they will surely want to keep the Serb beyond his loan.
Including him in a deal, then, gives Newcastle an advantage over Leicester who will only be able to offer cash. It may see Newcastle pull off a deal that will push them from relegation candidates into mid-table obscurity next season.
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