NEWCASTLE UNITED are ready to make a move for Diego Rolan, with the striker having turned down the opportunity to join Fulham.

Rolan, who is a 24-year-old Uruguay international, has made two separate visits to Fulham’s training ground to discuss a potential £5m move from Bordeaux.

His French employers are willing to sell him this summer, and had been happy with the financial terms on offer from Fulham.

However, Rolan is reluctant to sign for the Cottagers as he is keen to test himself in the Premier League, and is aware of the potential for an alternative approach from Newcastle.

With Daryl Murphy set to leave Tyneside in a £2m move to Nottingham Forest, Rafael Benitez is keen to sign a new striker this summer.

With Jacob Murphy having completed a £12.5m move from Norwich City earlier this week to provide some additional midfield creativity, the acquisition of a new attacker is now Benitez’s key priority.

Rolan is regarded as a viable option, having scored ten goals in 33 senior appearances for Bordeaux last season, and Benitez is keen to make progress in the next few days.

The Newcastle boss is also considering alternative attacking targets, and his next move could be influenced by a decision over the future of Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the Serbia international having been linked with a potential move to Lyon.

Murphy’s Newcastle career is almost at an end, with Nottingham Forest having emerged as strong favourites to complete his capture.

Murphy has been the subject of interest from a large number of Championship clubs this summer, with Sunderland one of a number of sides to have made a formal inquiry about his availability.

However, Forest are the first club to have tabled a bid Newcastle deem to be acceptable, and are hoping to receive formal permission to discuss personal terms with Murphy before the weekend.

Meanwhile, the date of Newcastle’s Checkatrade Trophy game at Port Vale has been confirmed as Tuesday, October 3 (7.45pm).