NEWCASTLE UNITED will make Paraguay international Miguel Almiron one of their leading January targets, but have been warned that another of their long-term transfer fancies, Sebastien Haller, is now outside their price range.

Rafael Benitez has held a number of meetings with Magpies managing director, Lee Charnley, to discuss January plans, and will firm up his intentions with head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, in the next few weeks.

The Newcastle boss is determined to sign a wide player who can also play in a central attacking position when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year, and Almiron currently features prominently on his wanted list.

The Paraguayan’s agent, Daniel Campos, watched Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth at St James’ Park last weekend, and while he did not hold formal discussions with the Magpies hierarchy, it is understood that a line of communication has been established.

Campos claims to have held informal talks with “two or three” English clubs, with Almiron expected to move on from his current employers, MLS side Atlanta United, now the American season is drawing to an end.

A 24-year-old attacking midfielder, with 12 senior caps for Paraguay to his name, Almiron played in his homeland and Argentina prior to moving to Atlanta in December 2016.

He has established a reputation as one of the most exciting young players in the MLS, and scored 13 goals in the US top-flight this season as well as providing 13 assists.

Arsenal and Tottenham have also been linked with a potential interest in Almiron’s services, but Newcastle will attempt to persuade the South American he would have more chance of playing regular first-team football on Tyneside.

Almiron is rated around the £15m mark, although the MLS’ complex transfer system means it is difficult to say with any certainty what an English club would have to shell out to sign him.

“We saw Newcastle’s (weekend game) because we are in England,” said his agent, Campos. “There are two or three clubs interested, and we have been working in the UK.”

Ideally, Benitez would like to sign an attacking midfielder, a central striker and a left-back in January, and the Newcastle boss has monitored Haller’s progress ever since he took over at St James’ Park.

The 24-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers in the early months of the Bundesliga season, scoring eight goals in 11 starts for Eintracht Frankfurt.

He also impressed during a previous spell at Utrecht, and while he signed a four-year deal with Frankfurt in 2017, there is an expectation within Germany that he will move on in either January or the summer transfer window.

Newcastle are one of a number of clubs who would potentially be interested, but Haller’s agent, Karlheinz Forster, claims the striker will only be moving to one of Europe’s elite clubs.

“Such players become only interesting for the top clubs,” said Forster. “Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona – only these clubs can afford them in the future.”