NEWCASTLE remain hopeful of signing Aleksandar Mitrovic despite increased competition from Porto – and are also lining up an offer for the Anderlecht striker’s defensive team-mate Chancel Mbemba.

Both Mitrovic and Mbemba were withdrawn from training yesterday, with Anderlecht officials expecting the duo to depart before the start of the new season.

Mitrovic has been the subject of sustained interest for a number of weeks now, but despite having had a bid of around £12m accepted more than a week ago, Newcastle’s recruitment team have been unable to persuade the 20-year-old to travel to Tyneside for personal talks.

Newcastle have offered a financial package that would greatly increase Mitrovic’s current earnings in the Belgian league, but the striker has been holding out for a move that will enable him to compete in the Champions League.

Porto can offer Champions League football after finishing in second position in last season’s Portuguese Primeira League, but had been struggling to put together a financial package that would be acceptable to Anderlecht.

That changed yesterday, with sources on the continent claiming Porto had linked up with Doyen Sports, an investment firm who work with clubs in Spain and Portugal to help them sign players in exchange for a proportion of their ownership rights.

Such an arrangement is outlawed in England, but it is commonplace in a number of European countries and should enable Porto to match anything Newcastle put on the table.

A resolution to the current impasse is anticipated within the next few days, with the Magpies still hoping that their long-standing interest and profile will enable them to pull off their second transfer deal of the summer, even though Chelsea have also been linked with a possible last-ditch move for the Serb.

Their main alternative to Mitrovic remains Charlie Austin, although the QPR striker is also a major target of West Ham United.

Newcastle could yet complete an Anderlecht double deal as their pursuit of a new centre-half has led them to Mbemba, a 20-year-old DR Congo international who is rated at around £8m.

Mbemba made his Anderlecht debut in 2012, and has gone on to make more than 50 senior starts for the Jupiler League side.

Tall and aggressive, the African is regarded as one of the most promising defensive prospects in the European game despite his lack of experience at the very highest level.

Newcastle, who are also interested in Schalke’s Joel Matip, are looking to sign an experienced central defender, with the future of both Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson currently in doubt.

The Magpies play the second game of their American tour in the early hours of Sunday morning as they take on a Sacramento Republic side that claimed a 1-0 win over Sunderland earlier in the week.