Aleksandar Mitrovic has left Newcastle’s pre-season trip to Portugal as he nears a return to Fulham on a permanent basis.
The Serbian striker spent the second half of last season on loan at Craven Cottage but Fulham have been locked in talks to bring him back to the club on a permanent basis.
That appears to be an increasingly likely prospect after Mitrovic flew back to the UK before Newcastle’s friendly match against Porto.
Mitrovic, expected to cost Fulham £20million, scored 12 goals on loan last season, struck up a close bond with Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic and was eager to return to west London.
“Every day he shows me support, that he believes in me and trusts me,” Mitrovic told Standard Sport in April. “Of course you can see on the pitch I am really positive. I’m really confident and really enjoy playing under him.”
Mitrovic’s signing would be the Cottagers’ fifth of an ambitious summer which has seen them break their transfer record to bring in Jean-Michael Seri along with his Nice team-mate Maxime Le Marchand, take World Cup winner Andre Schurrle on a two-year loan from Borussia Dortmund and sign goalkeeper Fabri from Besiktas.
