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Newcastle United have reopened talks to sign Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend - but any purchase could depend on outgoing business.

Rafa Benitez isn’t willing to lose Matt Ritchie unless a replacement is pushed in his direction this summer.

After a week of speculation surrounding the former AFC Bournemouth star’s future, there is still no suitable bid on the table from Stoke City or Middlesbrough.

Ritchie is also happy at Newcastle but the Magpies have to reshuffle their squad to make ends meet in the next window so his exit can’t be ruled out despite the player proving to be a hit in his two years at United.

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Townsend has been on Benitez’s wish-list for the last three windows now but Palace are determined to hold out for a hefty fee with a £20million valuation dismissed last month.

Talk from the capital on Sunday morning suggested that Palace may now have softened their stance on the initial price and it could be closer to £18million if Newcastle can finance the deal.

Townsend’s representatives have spoken to Newcastle in the last few days about a fee but spending power is a complex issue for Benitez at the moment.

Further suggestions that the former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss won’t get his hands on more transfer funds until he signs an extension have done the rounds in the Sunday papers.

And it is believed that a sale of either Ritchie or Fulham-target Aleksandar Mitrovic is the only way Townsend’s arrival could be funded as it stands.

National reports last week also suggested that Stoke City were prepared to pay £15million for Ritchie but Benitez may feel he is worth much more given the current climate in this summer’s transfer window.

Townsend himself is aware of United’s interest and is open to a move back to the North-East this summer with the winger ruling nothing out providing he gets regular game-time.

Speaking about his time at St James’ Park in the 2015/16 season, Townsend said: “Listen, I loved every minute of it, they (Newcastle) took me from the under-21s at Spurs to playing Premier League football in front of 52,000, they got the best out of me.

“The fans loved me, Rafa Benitez got the best out of me and it was extremely difficult to leave where you are loved, compared to a place where you are not so loved.

“I had a very productive time there, unfortunately, it was not enough to stay in the Premier League.

“I had to think long and hard in the summer about what I wanted to do; stay and play in the Championship did not cross my mind, in the end.

“I had to go with my head and not my heart.

“I did not want to take a drop down, especially while the options were still there in the Premier League.”

United picked up just £13million for Townsend in 2016 after Palace activated a release clause in his contract to take him to Selhurst Park after Newcastle dropped out of the Premier League.