SAMMY AMEOBI is close to agreeing a new deal at Newcastle United, but could still leave St James’ Park this summer.

The 23-year-old has been offered a new contract on Tyneside, but so far there has been no confirmation about him committing to an extension.

Cardiff City are under the impression he will sign a new contract at his hometown club and they are ready to offer him a season-long.

Steve McClaren, the Newcastle head coach, will be working with the squad for the first day of pre-season training tomorrow when Ameobi will officially become a free agent.

But the compensation factor means it is more likely that he will stay for a further year, even if it means having to head out on loan if McClaren decides not to include him in his first team plans.

At this stage the Newcastle boss cannot afford to allow Ameobi to depart because of a lack of numbers. McClaren hopes, though, to have added a clutch of new players before the start of the campaign.

Ideally he will have fresh faces on board before Newcastle travel to the United States as part of their pre-season plans and they will face Milwaukee on July 14.

Ameobi, 23, has been linked with numerous clubs over the last nine months, including Real Sociedad and West Brom, but a drop to the Championship on loan could well be on the cards. Wolves as well as Cardiff are known to be keen.

McClaren has had to be patient to make his first signing and has urged managing director Lee Charnley to do a deal for Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel. The 22-year-old has three more years to run on his deal with Chelsea and spent last season on loan at AC Milan, although he is keen on playing in the Premier League.

Newcastle have knocked back a possibility of signing Schalke defender Joel Matip, but have contacted Monaco about £12m-rated Tunisian defender Aymen Abdennour.