EVERTON manager Marco Silva has instructed his recruitment team to make a centre-back the priority before next Thursday’s transfer deadline – with Newcastle’s Jamaal Lascelles still firmly in his sights.

Silva has successfully followed up the £40m purchase of playmaker Richarlison from Watford by landing £18m full-back Lucas Digne and now it is the middle of defence where he wants concentrations to be.

Lascelles is top of his shopping list after learning Everton have fallen behind Manchester United in the pursuit of Barcelona’s Yerry Mina, who has risen to prominence after his impressive appearances at the World Cup for Colombia.

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has always maintained he does not want to sell his skipper and the player himself has described how happy he is on Tyneside a couple of times this summer. He is believed to be valued by the Magpies at around the £50m mark.

Everton are also keen on Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, who would cost a lot less ahead of a second consecutive season in the Championship, so the coming days could be determined by how much the Toffees are willing to spend.

Benitez would certainly not like to lose Lascelles at this stage, even more so because it would be difficult to bring in a replacement.

He has already bought Swiss defender Fabian Schar but he has effectively replaced Chancel Mbemba in the squad, while Florian Lejeune will be sidelined for months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Newcastle will head into their final pre-season friendly of the summer this Saturday against Augsburg and Benitez would still like to have at least one more player in before that game.

Talks are continuing with West Brom aimed at doing a deal that would see Dwight Gayle head to the Hawthorns in exchange for Salomon Rondon heading to St James’ Park.

Gayle has a proven track record of scoring goals at Championship level and the Baggies are keen to have him on board, while Rondon’s £16.5m release clause is of a similar amount to what Newcastle rate their man.

The problem at this stage is that Gayle does not want to leave Newcastle in the Premier League unless it was an offer that was too good to turn down. Rondon, on the other hand, is thought to be keen on playing for Newcastle and staying in the top-flight following West Brom’s relegation.

Benitez hopes the agreed deal for Yoshinori Muto will have been concluded by the time Augsburg travel to St James’. The Japanese striker is waiting for a work permit so his £9.5m move from Mainz can officially go ahead.

Everything is in place for that deal to be finalised but it is just down to waiting for the paperwork to be finalised by the department of employment – and Newcastle hope there will be no snags despite the fact he hasn’t played too regularly for his country in recent years.

Newcastle are also not knocking back an opportunity to sign Tammy Abraham on loan. The Chelsea youngster, who opted for Swansea over Tyneside last summer, is going to be sent out on loan again and Newcastle are considering the situation along with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.