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Newcastle United are prioritising the recruitment of a striker for next season - but Spanish sensation Nano is not believed to be one of the names currently under consideration.

Reports in Spain have credited the Magpies with an interest in a player dubbed as the ‘next Ayoze Perez’ due to the fact the 21-year-old has risen through the Tenerife ranks, just as the now-United forward did.

Nano netted 14 goals in 35 games last season for Tenerife - with just 20 of those appearances as a starter - and he was voted as the club’s player of the season by supporters.

However, though Nano has a reported £2.3million release clause and is a player the Magpies are believed to have scouted and will continue to retain an interest in, it is understood the young Spanish forward is not currently being discussed in transfer meetings.

United boss Rafa Benitez is determined to bring in at least one, if not two, front-line forwards this summer though and he has put a long list of targets to managing director Lee Charnley.

Fulham’s Ross McCormack, Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford and AFC Bournemouth’s Lee Tomlin have all been mentioned as potential targets, while Newcastle have also been offered Crystal Palace’s Dwight Gayle.

Magpies duo Adam Armstrong and Ivan Toney will also be assessed by Benitez during pre-season to determine whether he believes they are ready to be considered for Newcastle’s first team.

But Benitez is keen to add experience and a proven goal-scorer to his ranks, meaning a pursuit of Nano is not seen as a priority at this stage of the off-season.

Back in 2014, Newcastle signed Perez from Tenerife for £1.5m - and the 21-year-old has since scored 13 goals in 70 league appearances for the Magpies.

Naturally players such as Nano will be linked to Newcastle because of the Perez connection, and also due to the fact Benitez managed Tenerife to promotion in 2000-01 and has a tendency to sign players from his home nation.

The Magpies may firm up their tentative interest in the young forward at a later stage this summer, but recruiting at least one experienced forward is the immediate priority.