Adam Armstrong to leave Newcastle this summer

There has been plenty of focus on Newcastle’s need for a new striker in recent weeks, but the club are also set to sell some of their forwards this summer.

Aleksandar Mitrovic will leave, with Fulham expected to tie up a permanent transfer if they win Saturday’s Championship play-off final, and Adam Armstrong will also be made available for sale once the transfer window reopens.

Armstrong’s career has not gone to plan in the last couple of seasons, and Rafael Benitez does not see him having a long-term future Tyneside.

As a result, he is set to leave on a permanent basis this summer, with Blackburn Rovers set to be given the first opportunity to bid for his services.

Armstrong spent last season on loan at Ewood Park, scoring nine goals, and Tony Mowbray has spoken glowingly of the 21-year-old’s efforts as Blackburn won promotion from League One.

Benitez is keen to oversee a fairly radical overhaul of Newcastle’s academy set-up this summer, with Ivan Toney and Jamie Sterry also expected to leave.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that all future Newcastle signings will have a relegation clause written into their contract that would see their wage automatically drop in the event of the club dropping out of the Premier League.

The absence of relegation clauses was a key factor in the Magpies having to cope with an annual wage bill of £97.8m during their recent Championship promotion campaign.

SUNDERLAND

Sunderland’s squad needs a radical overhaul this summer, but any decisions on contracts or transfers will be shelved until the club has completed the appointment of a new manager.

Stewart Donald set the clock ticking at his introductory press conference yesterday, and the new Black Cats owner is determined to have a new manager in place by the start of next week.

Bolton are adamant that manager will not be Phil Parkinson, and Trotters chairman Ken Anderson this morning delivered a strongly-worded interview in which he warned Sunderland off any pursuit of the current Wanderers boss.

Parkinson’s name has been under consideration in the last 24 hours, but Sunderland’s preferred options are currently St Mirren boss Jack Ross and Leicester coach Michael Appleton. However, Ipswich remain the strong favourites to land Ross, who has also been offered a new contract at St Mirren.

Donald will approach Chris Coleman to discuss a possible return for the Welshman, who left the Stadium of Light after Sunderland’s relegation to League One was confirmed, if he is unable to land either of his preferred options.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Middlesbrough kicked off their summer restructuring this morning – but the focus of attention was off the pitch rather than on it.

Adrian Bevington has been confirmed as Boro’s new head of recruitment operations, and will head up a restructured transfer operation.

A lifelong Boro fan, Bevington was the FA’s director of communications for 17 years before leaving the governing body in 2014.

The Teessider will head up the recruitment department, with Gary Gill retaining his current role as Boro’s head of recruitment.

Tony Pulis will continue to have a major say over transfer matters, with the Boro boss expected to oversee a number of changes to the squad in the wake of last week’s play-off semi-final defeat to Aston Villa.