PSV EINDHOVEN have confirmed they have reached a £14.5m agreement with Newcastle United for the sale of Giorginio Wijnaldum - and the Dutch international will head to Tyneside later today to complete a medical and agree personal terms.

As revealed in Thursday's Northern Echo, PSV officials have accepted Newcastle's offer for the 24-year-old attacking midfielder, who is set to become the first signing of Steve McClaren's reign at St James' Park.

McClaren spoke yesterday of his desire to complete a signing ahead of Newcastle's forthcoming tour of the United States, and it is anticipated that Wijnaldum could be confirmed as a Magpies player in time to take part in the trip.

A PSV statement released this morning said: "Georginio Wijnaldum has left the players' hotel in Evian-les-Bains.

"The 24-year-old captain is on his way to England to reach a personal agreement there with Newcastle United, says Marcel Brands.

"The technical manager confirms PSV and English approaching an agreement on the terms of a transfer and then the club has decided to give Wijnaldum permission to travel to England."

The deal is a major coup for Newcastle, who have beaten off competition from Everton and a number of Champions League clubs in order to secure one of Dutch football's most highly-rated talents.

Newcastle are also in negotiations with Anderlecht for £15m-rated striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and have been trying to lure Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers. They also maintain an interest in Wolfsburg’s Bas Dost.

McClaren is also looking to add more players before his side start the Premier League season at home to Southampton on August 9.

Asked if the target was to have three or four £10m-plus players in by the end of August, the Newcastle boss said: “That would be nice. Yes, I think the targets we have talked about and the positions to improve ... we are talking about one, two, three, four, five …. but they don’t’ all have to be top ones.

“We have to make sure not just the team is right, but the squad is right. There is a willingness from the club to do that but there is not a panic in a business sense to do it.”

When he was asked if a new player would be flying to the United States, he said: “Yes, I hope so. That would be nice.”

McClaren opened the doors at the club’s training ground to the media for the first time under his leadership yesterday, having only been able to talk to Newcastle’s preferred media partners in the month he has been in charge.

And, with his voice hoarse from the shouting he has been doing on the training ground getting his the players in shape for the new campaign, he suggested he will give all of his players 45 minutes of football at Gateshead tonight.

But he fully intends to have new additions to call on before the start of the campaign and has accepted that Newcastle cannot just spend for the sake of it.

McClaren said: “We’re close (to new signings). We are working very hard behind the scenes. When you buy players for £0-5m there are loads of them, and in that respect Newcastle would be top of the tree.

“For £5-10m there’s still a lot of them and we would be right up there competing with that group - and there are a lot of players in that group.

“When you’re above that and look for a calibre of player to improve what we’ve got and to achieve our objectives, which we know - and thank goodness we know them - that makes a huge difference.

“The objectives have been set and we have to fulfil them and that’s what we are doing. So when you go £10m-plus - and there is a lot of speculation about that level of player at the moment - and those are Europa League and Champions League players at top clubs, there aren’t so many players in that bracket, so the competition is higher.

“It is more difficult to recognise their availability and get things done. The process is ongoing and believe me there is a massive willingness from the club to spend, but not spend foolishly or do anything foolishly, but especially spend foolishly.

“We are also looking for good value, but everyone in football is still looking for good value for money and talent - and that is what we are doing.”

Regardless of who Newcastle sign first – and Wijnaldum is now much the closest – then he will be just delighted to have got his first new player through the door. He insists, though, that he has not been concerned and feels patience is key.

When asked if he has been frustrated, he said: “No. Not in the least.”

He added: “We understand everybody saying ‘come on let’s keep the momentum going’ but let’s get the right ones. If it takes a little long, then sometimes the right ones take little bit of extra time.

“So, honestly, no, we are not saying ‘come on, Lee’. I know everyone is screaming we need this and that, but we need to get the right ones.”