Former England defender Stephen Warnock believes the addition of Ryan Fraser would have been a crucial factor in Newcastle securing the signing of Callum Wilson.
Wilson had the option to join Aston Villa but preferred a move to Newcastle after both clubs submitted bids to Bournemouth.
The England international forward is now on Tyneside undergoing a medical, as is his former Cherries team-mate, Fraser, with both men expected to conclude their deals early this week ahead of Saturday's Premier League kick-off against West Ham.
The pair were one of the most productive forward partnerships in the Premier League during the 2018/19 campaign with Wilson scoring 14 goals and registering 10 assists, while Fraser chipped in with seven goals and 14 assists.
And Warnock believes the signing of Fraser would have played a huge part in Wilson's thinking when accepting a move to Newcastle.
"When you are a striker, what you want is someone that you have a relationship with," Warnock told BBC Radio 5Live.
"He knows Ryan Fraser, he knows what type of runs Callum Wilson likes to make and what he is looking for with how quickly he delivers the ball.
"Straight away Callum Wilson would have had that discussion with Steve Bruce: 'Is Ryan Fraser coming to the football club?' And that would have ticked another box for him.
"Straight away he can hit the ground running as he has that relationship with someone before he even steps on the training ground."
