Wolverhampton Wanderers will use their qualification for the Europa League in an effort to tempt Salomon Rondon to choose Molineux over St James' Park this summer.
The forward excelled during his time on loan at Newcastle United , scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 30 Premier League starts.
However, with manager Rafa Benitez's future still uncertain, Wolves, West Ham United and a host of admirers on the Continent have already made clear their interest in acquiring the forward.
Wolves 'will trigger Salomon Rondon release clause', but will Newcastle United respond?
West Bromwich Albion's failure to secure promotion via the play-offs - they lost to Aston Villa on aggregate at the semi-final stage - means the Baggies will sell Rondon during the transfer window, which opened last week.
Newcastle will only pursue a permanent move for the striker should Benitez sign a new Newcastle contract - the Magpies manager remains in dialogue with the United hierarchy, having meet face to face with owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley in London last Thursday - and, even then, it is unclear whether they will meet the £16.5million release clause in Rondon's contract.
As the uncertainty on Tyneside persists, sources in the West Midlands have stressed that Wolves will aim to capitalise by making their willingness to exercise Rondon's release clause clear. Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is understood to want a forward who can rival Mexican Raul Jimenez for a starting berth, and Rondon is the player they have identified.
On Saturday, while responding to the Wolves speculation, Rondon posted a photograph on Instagram of himself working out with an exercise ball above his head, alongside the caption: "Let them talk!!! You stay focus[ed]."
Yet Wolves will now be able to point to their involvement in next season's Europa League as a reason why Rondon should consider moving to Molineux - given that Newcastle will not be taking part in any continental competitions next term.
Manchester City's 6-0 victory over Watford in Saturday's FA Cup final ensured that Wolves, rather than the Hornets, secured the final European qualification spot for English, given that the West Midlands club finished seventh in the Premier League.
Should Benitez remain as Newcastle manager, however, then it appears highly likely that United will explore the possibility of bringing Rondon to Tyneside permanently - and the player would prefer to remain at St James' Park, working under the Spaniard.
Dwight Gayle - who scored 24 goals on loan at the Hawthorns - and Jacob Murphy could be offered as makeweights in any potential deal, given that the Newcastle hierarchy are reluctant to pay £16.5m for a player who will be 30 come September.
It was Rondon's age which deterred United from signing the Venezuela international permanently last summer, with a bespoke loan swap for Gayle instead agree late in the summer window with West Brom.
3 ways Newcastle can make Salomon Rondon's permanent transfer to United from West Brom a reality
Salomon Rondon responds to Wolves transfer talk with defiant message
