NEWCASTLE UNITED are locked in a negotiating battle with Portuguese side Porto as they look to make Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic their second major signing in the space of a week.

Mitrovic’s agent, Pini Zahavi, and members of his family were on Tyneside at the end of last week negotiating a potential €17m (£12.2m) move from Anderlecht.

At that stage, Newcastle’s recruitment team, led by managing director Lee Charnley, were confident of adding the 20-year-old to a squad that has already been swelled by the capture of Georginio Wijnaldum, which was confirmed on Saturday morning.

However, Porto have made a strong push to sign Mitrovic themselves over the weekend, and Newcastle officials expect the forward to make a decision over his future within the next 48 hours.

Newcastle’s financial offer is understood to be superior to Porto’s, both in terms of the fee Anderlecht can expect to receive and the wages that are on offer to Mitrovic.

Porto can offer Champions League football after finishing second in last season’s Primeira Liga though, and are willing to offer a player as part of a swap deal in an attempt to entice Anderlecht to side with them.

Sources in Belgium claim Mitrovic had hoped to be playing European football next season, but also stress the importance of Zahavi’s influence in any agreement. With that in mind, the presence of the Israeli agent on Tyneside last week is significant.

Newcastle have a number of other attacking options – most notably QPR striker Charlie Austin, who would prefer to remain in the south of England for family reasons, and Wolfsburg’s Bas Dost – but Mitrovic is Steve McClaren’s preferred target and the club will not switch their attentions elsewhere until they have received a final response from the Serb, who trained with Anderlecht as usual yesterday.

With McClaren hoping to make “four or five” additions this summer, the Magpies are also in discussion with Marseille officials about the future of long-term target Florian Thauvin.

Having sold a number of players already this summer, the Marseille hierarchy are reluctant to lose Thauvin, a 22-year-old French winger, as well. However, the Magpies are understood to be willing to include Remy Cabella as part of any deal, and that could yet persuade Marseille officials to change their stance.

Cabella has not been included in the Newcastle squad for this week’s tour of the United States because he is suffering from a thigh injury.

Wijnaldum is set to join up with his new team-mates in America on Wednesday after he was given a couple of days to sort out his personal arrangements in the wake of his £14.5m move from PSV Eindhoven.

The midfielder became the third most expensive signing in Newcastle’s history when his move was confirmed at the weekend – behind Michael Owen and Alan Shearer – and he should make his first appearance in a Magpies shirt when his new employers play the second game of their US tour against Sacramento Republic on Saturday.

Wijnaldum has signed a five-year deal at St James’ Park, and having been named Player of the Year in the Dutch Eridivisie last season, is confident his battling qualities will enable him to succeed in the Premier League.

“I have a lot of confidence that I can make the fans happy, and that’s what I want to do,” said the 24-year-old Holland international. “I think I can bring goals and passion also, as I work hard and always want to do my best.

“Even if it looks like we’re not going to win, I always try to find a solution to win games. I’m a fighter.”

Everton made a late attempt to hijack Newcastle’s pursuit of Wijnaldum, but he always regarded Tyneside as his preferred destination, with McClaren’s successful managerial spell in Holland playing a key role in his decision.

“Newcastle showed very early they were interested in me,” he said. “In the negotiations, they showed good things, and that’s why I chose them.

“The coach (McClaren) turned Twente into champions for the first time – that is what everybody knows. He led them to play good football, and so has a good reputation. When he was at Twente, I was playing for Feyenoord and he tried to sign me, so it’s funny that it’s happened now.”

McClaren spoke last week of his confidence at successfully adding to his squad, and the Magpies head coach was delighted to kick off his recruitment programme with such a high-profile addition.

“Getting the first one through the door is always the best,” he said. “Georginio has got physique, he’s played football at the highest level and he’s played in the Champions League, so he should adapt quickly.

“When I first came across him at Feyenoord, he was a number ten who scored goals. At PSV, he’s moved further back to a six, but he’s a box-to-box player.

“He’s got the capacity for that. He can play in all positions and he can create and score, so I think he will add quality to the squad and is the perfect midfield player for us.”