Newcastle are close to offloading Rafa Benitez outcast Joselu, as Mundo Deportivo understand the striker has agreed personal terms with Deportivo Alaves.
The Stuttgart-born striker of Galician ancestry is claimed to have agreed a three or four-year contract with the Babazorros, who are willing to match his current wage, despite the former Spanish youth international only scoring three goals in what may have been his final 20 appearances for the Magpies.
Joselu’s minutes also dwindled as the season went on, to the point the Celta Vigo product went from starting our opening two games against Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City, to making two substitute appearances after the 84th minute in our final 19 top-flight games.
A move to join Alaves has been on the cards for the last few weeks, though, after reports in Spain emerged suggesting the 29-year-old was being considered as part of a double swoop including West Ham United’s Lucas Perez.
The former Arsenal striker – who only joined the Hammers last summer – has already had his move to the Mendizorrotza Stadium confirmed, and could be joined by Joselu once Alaves finalise their negations with Newcastle.
At present, that is understood to be the only obstacle standing in their way, and the Chronicle believe Deportivo will pay us £1.7million for his services, which could boost our summer transfer budget by £3.78million once his contract is taken into account.
Joselu will enter the final year of his £40,000-a-week deal on July 1, but by cashing in on the forward this summer would save the club £2,080,000.
Cashing in now, with Salomon Rondon still a West Bromwich Albion player, would leave the Magpies with only Dwight Gayle as our only recognised senior striker, though, and – like Joselu – the former Crystal Palace attacker has been deemed surplus to requirements by Benitez.