Newcastle United have been told they will have to stump up £30million to re-sign Andros Townsend from Crystal Palace according to The Times.

What's the story?

26-year-old Townsend was loaned to a number of clubs while he was on the books of Tottenham Hotspur before he signed for Newcastle in 2016.

He only played for the club for six months before they were relegated to the Championship, but he impressed during his short spell and then moved south to Crystal Palace.

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Since then, the winger has nailed down a place for the Eagles, playing 72 times in the Premier League, scoring five goals and assisting 11, and is valued on Transfermarkt at £13.5million.

According to the report in The Times, Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has been told he has to raise transfer funds through selling players, and they are hoping to cash in on Newcastle's interest at Townsend who they value at £30million.

Is he worth it?

Townsend is one of those frustrating players who clearly has a wealth of talent but struggles with consistency.

His pace and direct running are always a threat but his decision-making and end-product often lack the quality that you might expect from a £30million player.

With the inflated market, perhaps his valuation isn't as outlandish as it first may seem and Townsend does have that rare quality of being a match-winner when he does turn up.

Newcastle would be blowing a lot of their budget on one player but if he could perform for the Magpies on a consistent basis then it would be money well spent.