Newcastle United are expected to bid again for Andy Carroll, even if the release clause in Demba Ba's contract is not activated by Tuesday's deadline.
lan Pardew's side have not yet followed up their initial offer of a season's loan with a view to a permanent move in a year's time.
But Goal.com understands that the north-east club's hierarchy is continuing to closely monitor Carroll’s situation, which remains delicately poised despite Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' public assurances that he wants to keep the striker.
Sources have said that Newcastle are willing to bid up to €23 million (£18m) to buy Carroll back, just 18 months after selling him to the Reds for €45m (£35m).
Rodgers has insisted there is no chance of Carroll leaving Liverpool on loan, but the manager admits the Merseysiders will consider offers for the 23-year-old.
West Ham increased their efforts to sign Carroll last week by offering to take the England international on loan for an initial fee of €2.5m (£2m) with €20.5m (£16m) added on top of that to make the move permanent, provided the Hammers avoid relegation from the Premier League next season.
Neither Liverpool or Carroll are keen on such a deal. The Anfield club are holding out for around €25.5m (£20m) for their record signing, while the player would prefer a return to Newcastle if he is sold by Liverpool rather than a move to London.
Privately, West Ham accept they have little chance of pulling off a deal that would be regarded as quite a statement by the newly-promoted club.
Manager Sam Allardyce is a huge admirer of Carroll and is trying to recruit a high-profile targetman before the transfer window closes, but a combination of the player’s cost, his salary and reluctance to move to West Ham make such a transfer a long shot.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that West Ham's co-owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, will sanction a repeat of the €115,000- (£90,000)-a-week salary they paid Wayne Bridge during his loan from Manchester City in 2010-11.
Newcastle insiders believe a deal is possible even if Ba is still at the club at the start of August.
The striker has an €8.9m (£7m) release clause in his contract that expires on Tuesday night, but it is understood that the most serious interest has been from Turkish clubs Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
Ba wants to remain in the Premier League but anticipated interest from Tottenham and Chelsea has failed to materialize and the player looks set to remain on Tyneside this season, barring a dramatic 11th-hour transfer.
Newcastle manager Pardew is believed to be pushing strongly to supplement Ba and first choice striker Papiss Cisse with Carroll next season.
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