BAYERN MUNICH are ready to play a waiting game with their pursuit of Kieran Trippier, but are reluctant to go much higher than the £13m bid that was rejected on Tuesday night.

Having had a loan approach for Trippier rejected by Newcastle United officials over the weekend, the Bayern hierarchy tabled a fresh offer for a permanent transfer this week.

However, that was also rejected by the hierarchy at St James’ Park, with sources on Tyneside continuing to insist that there is a strong determination to hold on to the 33-year-old despite the financial temptation to cash in.

Trippier has entered the final 18 months of his current deal, and while he will not be agitating for a move to Bayern, he is willing to make the move if an agreement is reached at club level.

That is not currently the case, and while under-pressure Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel continues to regard Trippier as his number one defensive target, the Bundesliga club’s board are understood to be adamant that they do not want to be drawn into a succession of increased offers.

Tuesday’s bid will remain on the table, and it still remains possible that Bayern will return with an improved final offer before the transfer window swings shut next Thursday night.

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For now, though, they are willing to wait to see if Newcastle’s stance softens in the next week, with both Eddie Howe and Darren Eales having admitted the club will have to sell at some stage if they want to make incoming signings of their own in the next couple of windows.

Trippier has been training as usual at Newcastle’s Darsley Park base, and is set to be part of the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Fulham.

The same is true of Miguel Almiron, who remains a leading target of Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab, whose interest was revealed over the weekend.

Al-Shabab are hoping to sign Almiron on a permanent basis this month, but there have been no formal talks between the Saudi Pro League team and Newcastle officials. Al-Shabab are not one of the four Saudi teams majority owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), who also own 80 per cent of Newcastle.

As is the case with Trippier, Howe would ideally prefer to retain Almiron this month as he would be extremely difficult to replace in the final week of the window. However, the Paraguayan is due to turn 30 next month and if Newcastle were to sell at any stage before his contract expires in the summer of 2026, this might be the point when his value is at its highest.

Turkish club Besiktas continue to be linked with Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles, who is set to become a free agent in the summer. Howe has consistently talked up the importance of Lascelles within the dressing room, but as things stand, the centre-half is not believed to be close to signing a new contract on Tyneside.

In terms of incomings this month, while Newcastle look to have missed out on Kalvin Phillips, with the England international on the verge of joining West Ham, they have agreed a deal to sign teenager Alfie Harrison from Manchester City.

The 18-year-old midfielder is regarded as one of the brightest lights of Manchester City’s academy, but Newcastle have persuaded the teenager that his long-term prospects would be best served by a move to Tyneside, where the route to the first team would potentially be much easier to negotiate.

Newcastle’s head of youth recruitment, Paul Midgely, who left Manchester City for the Magpies in 2022, is understood to have been one of the driving forces behind the decision to pursue Harrison, who scored six goals and claimed four assists for City’s youth team in the Under-18 Premier League last season.