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Newcastle have made a £25million offer for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, write the Sunday People.

The Magpies are testing the resolve of the cash-strapped French club to hang onto their prized asset and lodged a huge bid for the forward.

Head coach Steve McClaren is in desperate need of additional firepower that will drag the Tynesiders clear of relegation danger.

And the Magpies have tried to gazump a host of suitors by going in hard and fast for the in-demand Lacazette.

Lyon are likely to accept the bid, but it remains to be seen whether the 24-year-old - who has his sights set on leaving in the summer for a club offering him Champions League football - could be enticed by a move to the north-east.

He has also been on record to say that he will move only at the end of the

current campaign. He said last week: "I will stay at Lyon in January."

But money often talks, and Newcastle's power-brokers will be hoping that they can persuade the forward to quit France now.

Owner Mike Ashley has sanctioned a sizeable spend in the past 12 months, including this month's signings of Henri Saivet and Jonjo Shelvey for a combined £17m, knowing full well that the prices for top-quality players will sky-rocket once the cash from the Premier League's new £5 billion television deal is available to clubs.

(Image: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

If Lacazette cannot be convinced to join the heavy French foreign legion at St James's Park, Newcastle will turn their attention to one of the Premier League's forgotten men.

Stoke's Mame Biram Diouf has not featured much this season, having to be content with a role from the bench.

(Image: Reuters / Darren Staples)

And with Joselu stepping up in recent weeks to add to the attacking riches at Mark Hughes' disposal at the Britannia Stadium, the Senegalese forward is now surplus.

An offer from McClaren and his team may see the former Manchester United striker uproot once more.

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