Newcastle have continued their attempts to sign Twente defender Douglas, and have upped their bid to £4 million according to The Sun.

The Tyneside club are eager to build on their fifth-placed finish last term in the Premier League but have only signed French midfielder Romain Amalfitano so far this summer.

A new defender is on Alan Pardew's wishlist after seeing injuries decimate his backline last term, and the lofty centre-half is in the Magpies' cross-hairs.

Douglas is a Brazilian defender, but qualifies for EU citizenship in September, which would mean that he would not have any work permit issues.

With only one year left on his deal at the Eredivisie club, Douglas has already stated that he wants to move to a bigger club and league, with a number of European sides monitoring the situation.

Newcastle have already failed in a bid of around £3.15 million for the player, and will test the Dutch team's resolve further by increasing the offering to £4 million.

By Gareth McKnight