Newcastle United consider club record offer for Nicolai Jorgensen to follow up Kenedy signing

Newcastle United have seen their opening bid for Feyenoord striker Nicolai Jorgensen rejected but are likely to return with a club record bid for the Dane, according to latest reports.

With just over a week of the January transfer window remaining, the Magpies finally secured their first mid-season arrival on Tuesday [23 January] with 21-year-old Brazil youth international Kenedy joining the club on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

Rafael Benitez is eager to add more firepower to his current group however with none of his four current options in Joselu, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dwight Gayle managing to muster more than four goals this term.

The club have identified Jorgensen as the man to remedy those woes, having scored 26 goals in 43 games for Feyenoord since arriving from Copenhagen in 2016.

The Dutch giants have rejected an opening offer and are holding out for £20m for the striker, but according to PA Sport, club owner Mike Ashley could be prepared to sanction a move which would see Newcastle break their transfer record for the first time in 13 years. Their current record fee stands at the £16m paid to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid in 2005.

Robin van Persie's return to Feyenoord this month, 14 years on from leaving for Arsenal as a 20-year-old, could hasten Jorgensen's departure, with Newcastle hoping the increased competition for places will convince the Denmark international to seek a new challenge.

While Benitez is keen to freshen up his attacking options, Newcastle have dismissed an offer from Brighton and Hove Albion for one of their current forwards in Mitrovic, who has intent on leaving St James' Park this month. PA add the Magpies are not willing to do business with a side who they view as a relagation rival this season.