Fulham Expect to Close £20m for Newcastle's Aleksandar Mitrovic By the End of the Month

Fulham reportedly believe that they are close to securing a deal for Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer, and expect to complete his transfer once he arrives back in England after his post-World Cup break, following Serbia's elimination from the tournament.

Fulham's admiration for Mitrovic is no secret. The striker played a prominent role in the Cottagers' promotion push - scoring 12 goals in 17 appearances - and are keen on making a permanent move for the 23-year-old.

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And now, it seems they believe they have managed it. According to the Telegraph, Fulham expect to wrap up a deal by the end of the month, and they'll smash their transfer record to do so.

The play-off winners will stump up a hefty £20m for Mitrovic, which easily beats the £12.4m they spent on Konstantinos Mitroglu back in 2014.

The departure of Mitrovic will in turn provide some added funds to Rafa Benitez's transfer wallet - though no new acquisitions are expected before the squad report for pre-season in the coming days.

So far, the Magpies have signed Martin Dubravka from Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee, as well as former Swansea midfielder Ki Sung Yueng on a free transfer, following his release from the recently relegated Welsh outfit.

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As for Fulham, they're yet to sign anyone ahead of their return to the Premier League. Paper talk has linked the club with a whole host of moves, but the closest deal that currently looks likely to materialise is that of Mitrovic's potential transfer in the coming weeks.