Newcastle loan chase will go to wire '“ and there could be a transfer out first

Swansea's Mo Barrow takes on Sunderland last month. Picture by Frank Reid

The Magpies are interested in signing Swansea City winger Modou Barrow on a loan, with a view to a permanent deal.

Barrow, 24, is available in this month’s transfer window, but a breakthrough is not understood to be imminent.

Second-placed Newcastle have all but given up hope of re-signing Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend, who left St James’s Park last summer in the wake of the Tynesiders’ relegation.

The Eagles are unwilling to loan Townsend, who cost them £13million but has struggled for form this season.

Newcastle – who made a £30million-plus profit on player trading last summer – are reluctant to spend big in this window.

They are continuing to explore the loan market, and some Premier League players could only become available on temporary deals in the final few days of the window, if and when their clubs secure their own targets.

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez said he “expected” positive news this week after Saturday’s 4-0 win over Rotherham.

That could prove optimistic, though efforts are ongoing ahead of Saturday’s fourth-round FA Cup tie away to Oxford United.

Benitez – who will have Mohamed Diame, Christian Atsu and Chancel Mbemba back from the Africa Cup of Nations next month – has been looking at midfielders and wingers.

There could be movement out of the club this week.

Midfielder Cheick Tiote, out of contract in the summer, is again attracting interest from China.

And Tiote’s long-running search for a new club could come to an end in the coming days.

The 30-year-old had been a target for Spanish club Sporting Gijon this month, but the terms on offer did not meet his expectations.

Meanwhile, Rotherham’s Newcastle-supporting midfielder Will Vaulks has spoken about the “strange” task he was handed at St James’s Park.

Vaulks was asked to man-mark Jonjo Shelvey in the meeting between the two clubs.

The 23-year-old said: “It was a bizarre game for me, because I’ve never played the man-marking role before.

“When the balls going one end of the pitch, and you’re at the other end chasing someone around, it’s a little bit strange.

“But it was a great experience for me because I’ve been a Newcastle fan since childhood.”