NEWCASTLE UNITED have turned down a bid from Brighton for Aleksandar Mitrovic, with West Browmich Albion also lining up a formal offer for the Serbian striker.

Rafael Benitez is willing to listen to offers for Mitrovic as he looks to shuffle his squad in the final week of the transfer window. However, Brighton’s initial bid, which was lodged earlier this evening, is understood to have fallen significantly short of Newcastle’s £15m valuation of the 23-year-old.

It remains to be seen whether the Seagulls return with an improved offer, but Chris Hughton is keen to sign another striker this month even though he has already broken his club’s transfer record to sign Jurgen Locadia from PSV Eindhoven for £14m.

Newcastle completed their first signing of the January window yesterday when Chelsea full-back Kenedy agreed to a season-long loan deal, and Benitez is keen to recruit a striker and goalkeeper before the end of the month.

Islam Slimani has emerged as Newcastle’s number one attacking target, although Leicester officials value the Algeria international at £20m, a figure the Magpies currently regard as too high. St James’ Park sources claim there is no interest in either Kevin Gameiro or Moussa Dembele, who have been mentioned as potential targets.

Mike Ashley has pledged to support Benitez’s efforts in the transfer market this month, but the Spaniard’s hand would be strengthened if he was able to bring in some money through a couple of sales.

He is looking to offload Jack Colback and Jamie Sterry, and will also allow Mitrovic to leave provided he is certain he will be able to replace the Serbian with a new attacker.

Mitrovic is desperate to leave Tyneside in order to give himself the best possible chance of starting for his country at this summer’s World Cup finals, and West Brom are set to match Brighton’s interest.

Baggies boss Alan Pardew is keen to sign a new striker this month, as he feels his side have been overly-reliant on Salomon Rondon in the first half of the season. However, the West Brom board have told him he can only make a move for a permanent addition if he raises funds through the sale of Jonny Evans.

Pardew had initially been reluctant to lose the Northern Irish defender this month, but the presence of a £3m relegation release clause in the centre-half’s contract has persuaded him to do business, with Manchester United and Arsenal both interested.

Pardew has already lined up a replacement for Evans, with Egyptian defender Ali Gabr set to move to the Hawthorns on loan from Zamalek.

West Brom have agreed an initial loan deal worth around £500,000, with an agreement in place for a permanent transfer in the summer, and the cut-price addition means Pardew will be able to bank the vast majority of whatever he receives for Evans.

That will enable him to move for Mitrovic, although Ashley is adamant he will not sell for less than the £14.5m that was shelled out to sign the striker from Anderlecht in the summer of 2015.

Mitrovic has not made a single Premier League start under Benitez this season, and his last appearance of any description came as a substitute in December’s home defeat to Leicester.

Benitez’s defensive options have increased with the arrival of Kenedy, with the Brazilian able to play as a conventional left-back or as a wing-back as part of a back five.

Benitez had hoped to sign Kenedy, who completed a medical at Newcastle’s training ground yesterday morning, during the summer transfer window, and the Chelsea loanee is determined to make the most of his time at St James’ Park, having experienced an unsuccessful loan spell at Watford last season.

“I’m so happy with this opportunity at Newcastle," said Kenedy. “They’ve opened the door to me to come here, show my potential and come and play for Newcastle.

“It’s a traditional club and Rafa Benítez is a fantastic, amazing coach. Christian Atsu, as well – we trained together at Chelsea and know each other, and he said good things about the club. So it was easy to take this decision.”

Benítez added: "Kenedy is a player that we have been following since the summer. The reason we are interested is that he can play in several positions – as a winger, a wing back and also as an offensive left full back, so he gives the team many options.

"He has a great left foot and good energy. He is still a young player but he has some experience already in the Premier League and that will help with his adaptation. We welcome him to Newcastle United."