ALEKSANDAR Mitrovic is a £15m target for Newcastle United but John Carver has had to consider a teenage rookie in a bid to tighten up Newcastle United and end the ongoing nightmare at St James’ Park.

While managing director Lee Charnley has suggested to Anderlecht that he is keen on Serbian striker Mitrovic if the Magpies avoid the drop, Carver has to come up with a way of lifting Newcastle for the crucial last few games of the season.

Landing a coveted player like Mitrovic will not be on the agenda if Newcastle can’t come up with a way of finding the necessary points to remain in the top-flight, after a horrendous few days which has seen Carver accuse players of not trying and deliberately getting themselves sent off at Leicester City.

The double dismissals of Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat at the King Power Stadium has added to Newcastle’s defensive problems, with Steven Taylor already sidelined through injury and Paul Dummett struggling with a hamstring problem.

Carver, whose only senior option is to play full-back Ryan Taylor in an unfamiliar role, is seriously considering pitching Lubomir Satka or Jamie Sterry in from the start when Newcastle face West Brom on Tyneside this Saturday.

There has been a reluctance to play either inexperienced 19-year-old over fears it could harm their development to be thrown into the pressure of a relegation battle – but Carver could have little alternative come Saturday afternoon.

Slovakian Satka was a second half substitute at Leicester at the start of the year when Newcastle were dumped out of the FA Cup just days after it had become clear Alan Pardew was set for Crystal Palace. Sterry has been on the bench but is yet to figure for the first team.

Newcastle have looked into the possibility of being able to call on centre-back Jamaal Lascelles following the end of Nottingham Forest’s Championship campaign. However, his season-long loan – along with fellow summer recruit from the City Ground, goalkeeper Karl Darlow – does not end until the end of the month.

Carver is desperate to engineer a lift on the training ground this week after clear-the-air talks on Sunday and Monday with the players, while Charnley has also had his own discussions with the squad and head coach.

Sources close to the Newcastle camp are insisting Carver did not threaten to resign, despite Steve McClaren being sounded out about coming in.

Charnley and owner Mike Ashley are still unclear about what will happen in the summer, but the priority before any decisions is keeping Newcastle in the Premier League. Firm attempts will then be made to make quick progress on the managerial front.

The threat of relegation has also led to transfer discussions being put on hold, with the club’s main summer targets not rushing into any agreements with top-flight status uncertain.

Mitrovic has been on Newcastle’s radar for months and the club is well aware of Anderlecht’s valuation. The 20-year-old is also being monitored by a number of top European clubs after his 20 goals this season.

The predatory front-man has ambitions of staying in the Champions League having had a taste of it with Anderlecht, who he scored goals for against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. Newcastle have also revived interest in former target Florian Thauvin, at Marseille.

Newcastle forward Remy Cabella is keen to stay on Tyneside despite a stuttering first season in the England.

Cabella said: “Yes, I hope so in any case (to be a Newcastle player next season). At the moment I am 100 per cent there. I have signed a contract. There was not a single club in France who offered what Montpellier asked for. Newcastle interested me and it was the club that wanted me no matter what price.”

The situation at Newcastle has only fuelled concerns among the fans, with many questioning the decision to keep Carver in charge for the final weeks of the campaign.

Mark Jensen, the editor of the Newcastle fans’ magazine The Mag, said: “Just when you think things can't get any worse the club put a feeble statement out saying it's business as usual. I personally don't know a single Newcastle fan who thinks John Carver is the right man for the job, but if you talk about a change you have to question who in their right mind would want to walk into this total mess.

"This has been coming for a long time - it is a carbon copy of last season when we had a few more points on the board, and the season before that we also nearly went down. If other clubs continue to pick up points I think we will go down. I don't think any fans have hope of getting any more points ourselves. If we stay up it will only be due to the shortcomings of others."