NEWCASTLE UNITED will hold further talks over Sevilla defender Diego Carlos in the next 24 hours as they look to strengthen their defence ahead of this weekend’s relegation showdown with Leeds United.

The Magpies have ended their interest in Lille’s Sven Botman, with the French club’s president, Olivier Letang, stating over the weekend that the Dutch centre-half would not be moving on this month.

Newcastle have already had a series of bids for Carlos turned down, but further discussions with the Sevilla hierarchy over the weekend suggested that an agreement is possible.

Carlos, a 28-year-old Brazilian who joined Sevilla from Nantes in 2019, is keen to swap La Liga for St James’ Park as he is in line to receive a massive pay increase if he moves to Tyneside.

His representatives are understood to have told the Sevilla board that he wants to leave this month, hence the Spanish club’s new-found willingness to enter into fresh talks with Newcastle.

Newcastle’s recruitment team, led by Amanda Staveley, have also sounded out a possible move for Germany international Robin Gosens. The left wing-back currently plays in Serie A with Atalanta, and while it would be difficult to engineer a move that would enable the Magpies to prise him from Italy, there is clearly a determination to continue the defensive overhaul that began with the recruitment of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid earlier this month.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe is also keen to make midfield improvements this month, but Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek has indicated that he is not interested in moving to the North-East this month.

Newcastle were hoping to sign van de Beek on loan for the second half of the season, with the Dutchman having been unable to hold down a place in the Manchester United first team under both Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.

However, van de Beek still feels he has a future at Old Trafford, with his representatives having spoken to senior officials at Newcastle to rule out a loan switch.

Similarly, while Newcastle looked into the possibility of a loan deal for their former midfielder, Georginio Wijnaldum, the Dutchman is not prepared to leave Paris St Germain in order to rejoin the Magpies.

Wijnaldum would consider a return to the Premier League, having left Liverpool to move to PSG, but wants to join a team battling for silverware rather than a club fighting to try to remain in the top-flight.

Off the pitch, Peter Kenyon has become the latest figure to be linked with a possible position in Newcastle’s new executive structure. Kenyon, who has had formal positions with Manchester United and Chelsea as well as a more informal role as an advisor at Middlesbrough, has been lined up for a senior position within Newcastle’s new set-up. The Magpies have also spoken to Dan Ashworth, currently the sporting director at Brighton.