CHANCEL MBEMBA is on the verge of having his wish to leave Newcastle United granted, provided Portuguese club Porto can agree on a fee.

The DR Congo international has, according to sources in Portugal, agreed the terms of a four-year deal after he was given permission to discuss the terms of a potential deal.

Newcastle are looking for around the £5m mark for the defender, who has struggled to hold down a place under Rafa Benitez. A recent switch to Anderlecht broke down because they were only willing to pay £3.5m.

The Newcastle manager is more than happy for Mbemba to move on and that would help increase the Tyneside outfit’s own spending power this summer.

The player’s agent, Fabio Baglio, said: “We are effectively in negotiations, but he’s not a Porto player yet. I cannot comment any more for now. The plane will take off, I will have to hang up.”

Newcastle are looking to move on a number of players this summer and are aware of substantial interest in others who they would actually like to keep.

One of those who can go is goalkeeper Matz Sels, but a deal with Anderlecht has hit a stumbling block over the fee.

The Belgian club has offered just £1.75m for him and that is just two years after he joined Newcastle for £5m. Newcastle want a further £500,000 before it will go through.

Newcastle are working on deals themselves and hope the short-term appointment of Fernando Hierro as Spain boss helps their recruitment drive.

Benitez will be under serious consideration to fill the role Hierro has stepped into should they not perform well at the World Cup.

The former Real Madrid defender and Spain captain has been asked to step up from his role as director football of the Spanish Football Federation to lead the national team in Russia following the announcement Julen Lopetegui has decided to join Real Madrid.

Lopetegui had agreed to take over at the Bernabeu after the finals so a furious Spanish FF, who only handed him a new contract last month, have taken the matter out of his hands by replacing him on the eve of the tournament.

Hierro was seen as a long term successor and has had to be fast-tracked into the role given the circumstances, but Benitez remains a very realistic option after the finals should things not turn out well for the Spaniards.