Atlanta chief warns Newcastle's Lee Charnley not to make 'laughable loan bid' for Miguel Almiron

Various reports suggested Rafa Benitez's side were set to welcome the 24-year-old to St James's Park with a £15million clause to buy him at the end of the season.

Almiron, who will compete in the MLS Cup final against Portland Timbers on Sunday, is thought to be keen on a move to Tyneside after his agent recently held talks with Newcastle's head of recruitment Steve Nickson.

Eales admitted he is open to selling Almiron, but has warned the Magpies hierarchy to make a serious offer and not a 'laughable loan'.

He said: "The important thing is we have an owner that is 100 per cent behind the team and wants the team to win, and we have a fan base, so we have always said that if the right approach comes in - and it has to be the right offer for the player, the league, and most importantly the club - then we would consider it.

"I have seen some laughable things in the press, clearly we are never going to loan one of our players out and we are certainly not going to let them go for the 'chump change' that I have seen in some reports.

"If it's a proper, serious offer then it's something we would consider, but not for the laughable figures that I have seen mentioned in the press."

Newcastle aren't the only club interested in the Paraguayan with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur also said to be in the frame.

And Eales has warned the Magpies they will miss out on a star in the making if they don't up their game.

"He has proved in these two years that he is by far and away one of the best players in the league," said Eales.

"He is still a young player, he is a Paraguay international and it's brilliant he can cope with the physicality of the Argentinian league with Lanus and also the MLS.

"He is an amazing player, he was one of the best players on the pitch in both of the All-Star games that we played against Juventus and Real Madrid.

"I have no doubt that when the time is right and the offer is right he can be a success in whatever league he goes to."