NEWCASTLE UNITED are not giving up in their pursuit of midfielder Mohamed Diame despite learning Hull City are desperate to keep him ahead of a Premier League return.

And it has emerged Rafael Benitez has moved to boost his defence once more by triggering a £5m release clause in the contract of Aston Villa defender Cieran Clark.

The Republic of Ireland international, 26, is now expected to head for Tyneside provided Roberto di Matteo cannot persuade him to stay at Villa Park. West Brom have shown an interest already this summer.

The Magpies have attempted to make the most of the uncertainty around the KC Stadium following the departure of Steve Bruce last week after a breakdown in the relationship with the Humberside club’s owners.

Diame was a Bruce signing and the midfielder only has 12 months remaining on his contract so Newcastle have moved in with a £4.5m offer.

That looks an attractive bid for a 29-year-old set to become a free agent in 12 months’ time but Hull are reluctant to let him leave until a new manager has been installed.

Hull are weighing up their options to replace Bruce and Wales manager Chris Coleman has emerged as the favourite for the job, while there have also been reports that former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola was approached.

It appears Hull’s owners are keen to keep Diame and want him to head on the pre-season tour to Austria today.

Diame, a powerful running midfielder who has impressed since moving to Wigan initially in 2009, has had spells at West Ham and Hull. He is being dubbed a cheaper replacement for Moussa Sissoko, who looks certain to leave this summer.

Sissoko is due to hold talks on Tyneside with Rafael Benitez after being an extended lay-off following his run to the final of the Euros with France. He made his intentions clear after that defeat to Portugal by suggesting it could be time to leave following relegation.

Newcastle are looking to receive a big transfer fee, putting him in the £35m bracket which saw Andy Carroll make a record-busting move to Liverpool in 2011. Real Madrid have expressed an interest but not at that valuation.

He was not at Newcastle’s open day when 8,000 supporters turned up at St James’ Park to watch Benitez put the players through a training session ahead of Friday’s Championship opener at Fulham.

It would seem unlikely that Sissoko will figure at Craven Cottage and another player seem destined to leave is French playmaker Florian Thauvin.

The former Marseille man is wanted by Lazio and the Rome club had been hoping to tie up a deal in the next 24 hours, although Marseille have now returned with a fresh offer to try to persuade him back to the south of France.

Benitez is happy with how his squad is shaping up but he is keen to have two more players in place before Friday. Newcastle have also had an £8m offer for Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert rejected.

Highly-rated goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has signed a new four-year deal.