NEWCASTLE UNITED are hoping to sign Tyrone Mings, but have been quoted a price of more than £8m for the highly-rated Ipswich Town defender.

The Magpies’ recruitment team have been monitoring Mings, who can play at left-back or centre-half, for more than 12 months, with scouting delegations regularly travelling to Portman Road to watch the 22-year-old last season.

Steve McClaren is well aware of Mings’ talents having managed in the Championship last term, and having met managing director Lee Charnley and chief scout Graham Carr for a transfer discussion on Tuesday, the new head coach was happy to support an initial inquiry.

However, with Arsenal and West Brom also understood to have registered an interest, Ipswich officials are adamant that one of their club’s leading lights will not be leaving cheaply this summer.

Ipswich chiefs are adamant they will not agree to Mings’ departure for anything less than £8m, and would ideally like to receive £10m for the youngster once future clauses are included the deal.

The Newcastle hierarchy are hoping to make some transfer progress within the next seven days, and French media sources claim there has been contact with Paris St Germain officials about a possible return for Yohan Cabaye.

At this stage, the interest is tentative, and Cabaye is understood to be extremely reluctant to return to Tyneside following his departure in a £20m move 18 months ago. However, with Paris St Germain willing to accept around £12m as they look to adhere to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, Newcastle will continue to monitor the situation.

The Magpies will face all of last season’s top four sides in their opening eight matches of the 2015-16 campaign, and McClaren said: “To have last season’s top four inside those opening couple of months is going to be a real test, but one we will relish.

“It gives us a real edge going into our pre-season schedule, knowing that the work every day is vital and you have to be ready.”