Newcastle United want a breakthrough on their six-month battle to sign Hugo Ekitike from Reims after fresh talks with the Ligue 1 club.
And Chronicle Live understands that Ekitike has been given assurances he will be a major part of the club's next phase of development. The Magpies feel that the lure of being one of the first names on the team sheet week in, week out, will be enough to fend off interest from Borussia Dortmund.
The 19-year-old's representatives believe they have agreed a good financial package for themselves and the French forward. And Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot is also keen to push on and complete an initial £26.5million deal.
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Caillot was eager to make sure the deal was nudged up from £20million earlier this month. United will have a deal if they can meet Reims' steep demands but the potential of the teenager is big and they could be landing a player that will serve them for years rather than a short-term fix to push them into European contention.
Caillot had said earlier this month: "On the table, there is an offer that suits us very well. An offer which, in my view, is sportingly interesting for the player and it is now up to him to make his choice, it is not for me to do so.
"From now on, it is his advisers who must move forward on this transfer."
United are enduring a frustrating time on Sven Botman with the player now clear of international duty and demands understood to be continually changing from his representatives. Botman had his heart set on AC Milan earlier this year but the Serie A champions are yet to find an offer that matches Newcastle.
