Newcastle United to swoop for Real Madrid attacker?

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has claimed that Newcastle United have joined the race to sign James Rodriguez from Real Madrid this summer.

The Magpies are on the verge of a takeover by PCP Capital Partners and they have been fancied to make high-profile signings in the next transfer window.

The likes of Edinson Cavani and Kalidou Koulibaly have been linked with possible moves and Balague has now revealed that Rodriguez is another player on their radar.

Rodriguez will enter the final year of his contract with Los Blancos during the summer and he has been valued at around £35m, as per reports in the Spanish media.

The Magpies are unlikely to match the asking price for the Colombian but they are instead willing to pay a reasonable loan fee for his services with the assurance of covering his entire £300,000-a-week salary.

Rodriguez has suffered a number of injuries over the past 18 months and that has reduced his playing time. He has bagged one goal and one assist from just seven league appearances this season.