And there is impatience on Tyneside at a perceived lack of urgency in the transfer market, not least as it is yet to bid for Austin.
Advertisement
The French club’s general manager, Xavier Gravelaine, told the media yesterday morning Kante would sign for Leicester unless Marseille increased their offer.
Austin is on honeymoon in Dubai following his wedding late last month.
The QPR striker will return to pre-season training in the next week or so and will make a decision on his future then, however the R’s are driving a hard bargain.
Caen announced yesterday they were close to agreeing a fee, which is believed to be about £7m, for the 24-year-old.
But his goals failed to keep QPR in the Premier League last season and they are resigned to losing him in order to use the money to rebuild a side to get them back up from the Championship at the first attempt.
Jose Mourinho is interested in the ex- Burnley forward, who would add to Chelsea’s attacking options along with recent loan signing Radamel Falcao.
However, City are expected to try again for Austin, who the Hoops value at about £15m, a figure that is reportedly deterring the interest of West Ham, Newcastle and West Brom, who have all been monitoring the striker’s situation.
Steve McClaren, Newcastle’s new head coach, is well aware of the challenges facing the Tynesiders this summer.
Club Metro is a place for football reporting by fans, for fans. That is natural.
Advertisement
McClaren is hopeful of a breakthrough before he takes his squad across the Atlantic a week today for a three-game tour of the US.
