According to reports in The Sun, Crystal Palace have had a £9m bid rejected for FC Midtjylland striker Alexander Sorloth as they look to sign a new centre-forward before the January transfer window slams shut on Wednesday.
The Sun says that the Eagles will now consider an improved package to land the 6ft 4in attacker before the close of play on Wednesday, with manager Roy Hodgson determined to provide Christian Benteke with some competition up top.
Sky Sports add that the south London club's budget for a new striker this month is between £10-12m, which suggests that they are confident that they will be able to bring the Norway international to Selhurst Park for a fee in that price range.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United lost out to Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion in the race to sign Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on loan on Monday, and Rafa Benitez is still yet to add the centre-forward to his squad that he wanted to this month.
The Magpies have only scored 22 goals in their 24 top flight matches this season with the Tyneside outfit are in desperate need of reinforcements in attack, and bringing Sorloth to St James' Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Newcastle must hijack Crystal Palace's move for the 22-year-old…
Goals
Newcastle are in desperate need of goals if they are to retain their Premier League status this season, and Sorloth's record suggests that he could be the player to shoot them to survival.
The 22-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided a further nine assists in 25 appearances in all competitions for Midtjylland this term, while he scored 14 in 29 during a loan spell for Bodo/Glint previously.
His record at Groningen in the previous two seasons was a little less impressive, but the form he has shown during the current campaign will mean that he is full of confidence if he does arrive in the Premier League before Wednesday's deadline.
His qualities
According to WhoScored.com, Sorloth has plenty of strengths in his game, including his ability to make key passes and through balls, while his defensive contribution, dribbling and strength in the air are also commended.
While the 22-year-old can play as a target man because of his height and strength, he has also played out wide on a handful occasions for Midtjylland because he is also quick, agile and able to run with the ball.
That versatility should appeal to Rafa Benitez, who is desperate to add a new spark to his side's faltering frontline.
Price tag
While Newcastle clearly have the money to bring in a new centre-forward this month given their links and rumoured bids for Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen, they can't afford to pay a huge, huge sum for a new striker.
Signing Sorloth – who could cost between £10m-12m – would certainly be an attractive option for owner Mike Ashley, and it may be a more realistic deal for the Tyneside outfit given they won't have much time to sort out everything involved with the deal before the deadline on Wednesday night.
Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.