Salomon Rondon is poised to become Rafa Benitez’s first signing for Dalian Yifang. Benitez, who joined the Chinese Super League club last week, is keen to be reunited with the Venezuela striker, who after Ayoze Perez was his top scorer last season at Newcastle while he was on loan from West Brom.

Rondon has a buyout clause in his contract with the Championship club, thought to be £16m. The 29-year-old has been seeking to clarify his future after Venezuela’s Copa America campaign recently ended with defeat by Argentina, and was last night understood to be close to agreeing terms with Dalian. West Brom cannot afford to keep the striker after losing in the playoffs and failing in their attempt to win promotion back to the