NEWCASTLE UNITED are ready to press ahead with plans initially discussed in January to finalise a deal for Brazilian midfielder Ga

The Magpies have been encouraged to follow up their initial interest with a fresh offer for the Leganes player, having resisted the overtures from Tyneside at the start of the year.

The La Liga club were reluctant to let 6ft Pires leave on loan for the rest of the season at that time because they were involved in a fight to avoid relegation.

And the South American played a key role in successfully keeping Leganes in the top tier of the Spanish leagues, and would reluctantly listen to offers knowing he can leave for £6m.

That sort of sum is no problem for Newcastle following promotion to the Premier League and there are suggestions, unconfirmed at St James’ Park, they have matched that release clause.

Rafael Benitez is keen for progress to be made quickly on the transfer front and Pires was identified months ago as a player capable of adapting to life in the top-flight quickly.

Benitez would have liked to have had him on board for the remaining months of the promotion push, so a loan with a view to a permanent £6m deal was preferred during the January transfer window.

However, Newcastle are closing in again and look likely to land their man. There is other interest in him and he has been linked with Everton and West Ham, but Pires should be attracted by playing under Benitez.

The 23-year-old started his career with Juventus and has played in the second tiers of Italy and Spain before helping Leganes to promotion last season. He has impressed in La Liga, where he has become an important player, and his departure has been expected for a number of months.

Benitez has only made one signing so far and that was to turn Christian Atsu’s loan agreement into a permanent arrangement earlier this week.

The Newcastle boss has been promised in the region of £100m to spend this summer to try to make his team a force to be reckoned with ahead of the top-flight return.

He will be listening to offers for some of his players too, while an interesting report in Turkey today has suggested Besiktas are keen to take midfielder Dan Barlaser on loan.

Barlaser, 20, was born in Gateshead but qualifies to play for Turkey through his father and featured at youth level for both Turkey and England. He can play out wide and in the middle. He made his first team debut for Newcastle earlier this season.

Any deal would be an initial loan, while centre-back Grant Hanley could be sold and Newcastle are looking for around £5.5m for him.

Hanley, 25, has struggled to hold down his place at St James’ since moving from Blackburn last summer. Derby County are among the clubs keen to sign the Scotland international.

The 27-time Scotland international only played ten times for Newcastle during the title winning campaign with Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark became the preferred two at the back.