Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is set to boost their summer transfer kitty.

The Evening Chronicle says Ashley had sanctioned the search to bring in a new centre-forward following consultation with new director of football Joe Kinnear.

And next week United will sift through a list of options compiled from chief scout Graham Carr's treks around the Continent in the last nine months.

Ashley is believed to have told Kinnear that he will pull in extra funds that won't drain United's current running costs.