Major blow: Howe dealt fresh NUFC setback that'll leave supporters gutted - opinion

Newcastle United have been dealt a fresh transfer setback over Premier League centre-forward Romelu Lukaku…

According to Calcio Mercato, the Magpies are one of the clubs capable of affording a deal to sign the Belgian striker this summer, with Italian giants Milan also said to be keen on the attacker.

However, the report states that the ex-Inter man is not keen on a move to the other occupants of the San Siro and is not interested in a switch to St. James’ Park either, as his future at Chelsea remains unclear.

The Toon supporters will surely be left feeling gutted by this news as it is a major blow to any plans from the club to sign Lukaku this summer.

Whilst the hitman has struggled for form at Stamford Bridge throughout the campaign, he has proven over the course of his career that he is a lethal striker at the top level.

In the Premier League this term, he has scored five goals in 23 appearances for Thomas Tuchel’s side – scoring twice in four Champions League starts.

This is a far cry from the form he was producing for Inter during his time in Italy. The Belgian forward managed a whopping 47 goals and 13 assists in 65 Serie A starts in his two years at the San Siro, with these statistics proving that Lukaku’s goal record this season is not a fair reflection of his talents as he has showcased his ability elsewhere – including at other teams in England.

His overall Premier League record, having played for West Brom, Everton and Manchester United, is sublime. He has scored 118 goals in 275 outings in the English top-flight and this shows that he has the quality to be a quality player at this level and, therefore, could have had a significant impact at Newcastle.

This is why his lack of interest in a switch to St. James’