NEWCASTLE are on the trail of Romanian Under-21 international defender Stefan Mardare.
Sources close to the centre-back’s club side, FC Vaslui, claim United have tabled a £1 million bid ahead of the January transfer window.
And the Magpies’ new Eastern European scout, Vic Halom, has also been eyeing Mardare’s club-mate, Serbian midfielder Marko Ljubinkovic.
Mardare, who has just turned 20, has also caught the eye of Everton, despite being halfway through only his second season in the Romanian top flight.
Vaslui turned down bids of around £700,000 for Mardare from both Rapid Bucharest and Steaua Bucharest in the summer.
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