Newcastle have had an improved offer worth £40million for Yoane Wissa rejected, talkSPORT understands.
The Magpies’ bid included a £35m fee plus £5m in potential add-ons, but Brentford‘s valuation remains in excess of £50m.
Wissa is pushing to leave the Bees and believes this could be his last chance to play Champions League football, having snubbed interest from Saudi Arabia.
The 28-year-old has been training alone and recently unfollowed Brentford on social media as the club continued to block a move to St James’ Park.
Newcastle had already had one bid for Wissa rejected this summer, along with unsuccessful attempts to sign Joao Pedro and Benjamin Sesko, who joined Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.
The Congolese international was previously told he could leave for just £26m, but the club have reneged on that after losing Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United.
Brentford recently signed Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth in a club-record £42m deal – but club sources claim he is viewed as the Mbeumo replacement.
It means another striker would need to be signed before the Bees consider a bid for Wissa.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are thought to see Wissa as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left the club on a free transfer at the end of last season.
Therefore any deal with Brentford is unlikely to impact the future of Alexander Isak, who lashed out at Newcastle in a bombshell statement on Tuesday night.
The latest on Isak’s future
Like Wissa, Isak wants to leave and believes his employers have broken promises over his future.
The Swede didn’t turn up to the PFA Awards on August 19 despite being included in the team of the season.
Posting on Instagram shortly after, he wrote: “I’m not at the ceremony tonight. With everything going on, it didn’t feel right to be there.
“I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
Wissa is yet to make any kind of statement on his future, but he has unfollowed Brentford on social media and deleted posts that included them.
The 33-time DR Congo international initially joined the Bees from Lorient in 2021 for £8.5m, but they now face losing him for free next summer upon the expiration of his contract.
