Newcastle United are exploring other midfield options after their move for Marseille's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg broke down on Monday.
The Denmark international, 31, had been identified as the experienced organiser suited to the plans of new manager Matthias Jaissle, and talks had initially gone well before Hojbjerg changed his mind over the deal.
Marseille's owners have been left furious by the change of heart, according to Daily Mail Sport. The French club, keen to raise funds for their own summer spending, had provisionally agreed to sell the Dane to Newcastle.
Newcastle had also considered Bayern Munich's Joao Palhinha as a potential back-up, but after focusing their efforts on Hojbjerg, that has left the door open for Aston Villa to step up their own negotiations for the Portuguese midfielder. Hojbjerg is now considering his options, with AC Milan also said to be interested should he decide against staying at Marseille.
Villa pursue Palhinha
Palhinha, also 31, has become a target for Aston Villa after Amadou Onana suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the World Cup. Villa director of football Damian Vidagany told German outlet Bild: "Joao Palhinha is a very good player who would fit our plans. We are in talks, but there is currently no agreement. If something were to happen, it would always be based on the great respect we have for Bayern."
Villa lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong over the weekend, with Palhinha coming on as a substitute.
A summer of upheaval at Newcastle
It is proving to be a summer of unrest at Newcastle, who have sold club captain Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal, forward Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and midfielder Sandro Tonali to Tottenham. Eddie Howe, who saved Newcastle from relegation before turning them into a Champions League club and ending their 56-year wait for a major trophy, stepped down as manager on July 31.
The club also missed out on Spain winger Victor Munoz and Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi, who chose to join Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively. Howe has been replaced by Jaissle, who arrives from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli after a two-year spell at RB Salzburg and an earlier short-term stint at Austrian club Liefering.
Newcastle have recouped more than £250million from the sales of Gordon, Tonali and Guimaraes, and have made five signings this summer: goalkeepers Lukas Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur, and forward Bazoumana Toure. Sporting director Ross Wilson is prioritising a midfield addition and a new full-back, with further signings dependent on Jaissle's assessment of the squad.
Willock, Pope and injury updates
Midfielder Joe Willock will join Besiktas if the Turkish club meet Newcastle's asking price, with sources suggesting progress is likely. Goalkeeper Nick Pope has also been told he can leave, and while no offer has yet arrived, Ipswich and Celtic are said to be monitoring his situation.
Newcastle expect midfielder Lewis Miley to be fit for the season opener against Liverpool after recovering from a broken leg, but the game will come too soon for Tino Livramento. The England defender is in the United States continuing his rehabilitation from the calf injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, and could return on the second weekend of the campaign at Tottenham.
