NEWCASTLE UNITED will slap a £20m price tag on Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer – and will demand an even higher sum if the striker has a successful World Cup with Serbia.

Rafael Benitez is adamant he wants Mitrovic to leave permanently before the start of next season, and while Mike Ashley has previously been reluctant to give up on the 23-year-old, who cost £13m when he joined from Anderlecht in July 2015, the Magpies owner has accepted the time has come to sell.

However, with Mitrovic having been in sensational form since joining Fulham on loan in January, the Newcastle hierarchy will seek to make a significant profit before sanctioning his full-time departure.

Chief executive Lee Charnley will tell prospective buyers they will have to come up with at least £20m before a bid will be considered, and the price could rise even higher if Mitrovic, who has scored 11 goals in 13 starts in a Fulham shirt and will line up against Sunderland tonight, impresses on the World Cup stage this summer.

Fulham will seek a permanent deal if they win promotion to the Premier League, and the terms of Mitrovic’s loan deal mean the Cottagers will be offered a first opportunity to table an acceptable offer. However, there is no clause dictating that Newcastle have to accept, and a selling price has not been factored in to the current arrangement.

If Fulham fail to win promotion, they will not be able to afford either Mitrovic’s price tag or his wages. Even if they do go up, Newcastle could opt to turn to a higher bidder, with interest in the striker mounting.

West Ham United are keen, while Championship title winners Wolves have also been credited with a potential interest in Mitrovic’s services.

Newcastle are also aware of interest from the German Bundesliga, but it is unlikely that a final decision will be taken until the World Cup is over.

Mitrovic is set to lead the line for Serbia in Russia this summer, with his nation having been drawn in Group E along with Brazil, Switzerland and Costa Rica.

Mitrovic will be one of a number of players leaving St James’ Park this summer. Massadio Haidara, Jesus Gamez and Curtis Good will be released as free agents, while Matz Sels, Henri Saivet, Achraf Lazaar and Jack Colback will be made available for purchase.