Ajax & Newcastle agree Luque fee

Striker Luque has endured a miserable time on Tyneside

Newcastle have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Ajax for the sale of Spanish striker Albert Luque.

Luque, who joined the Magpies from Deportivo La Coruna for £9.5m in 2005, only scored twice last season, both goals coming in the Uefa Cup.

The 29-year-old is expected to sign a three-year contract.

Luque had expressed an interest in joining Real Betis and had also been linked with a move to PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord, Bordeaux and Barcelona.

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Luque, whose move will free up funds for Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce, started his career in the Barcelona youth program before moving to Mallorca.

He transferred to Deportivo La Coruna in 2002, scoring 26 times in 101 league appearances.

He featured in Allardyce's pre-season plans but soon fell behind Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith in the striker pecking order at St James' Park.