He will now look elsewhere, having already claimed in an interview last week that a “bigger club” than United was on his trail. Liverpool and Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in a player who intends to leave Holland for pastures new this summer.

“Five clubs are interested and there's a bigger club than Newcastle. I cannot still say anything about it, but I hope soon to have my new club,” he told a Dutch magazine last week.

The Journal understands that United have also decided against following up their interest in Montpellier’s Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, who has proved too expensive.

The defender’s agent revealed last month that he is likely to move to the Bundesliga, and that is partly driven by United’s reluctance to meet Montpellier’s asking price. The 23-year-old, who narrowly missed out on a place in France’s final 23-man squad for Euro 2012, also wanted to play first-team football – which United could not guarantee.

Newcastle intend to add a defender to their squad but are prepared to soldier on without if they do not find the right player.

With Steven Taylor’s imminent return they will have three specialist centre-backs available – a number that needs to be boosted if they are to fight on four fronts next season. James Perch can also fill in, as he did ably at the end of last term.

Having worked tirelessly so far this summer on his stamina, Taylor is nearly back in contention for first-team football and should be ready for the first day of pre-season training on July 5.

He formed a superb partnership with Fabricio Coloccini in the first half of last season but desperately needs an injury-free campaign after a slew of serious injuries stalled his progress in recent years.

Meanwhile, French newspapers named Montpellier left-back Henri Bedimo as a potential Newcastle target on Friday morning.

But at 27, and having a contract that extends until 2015, he does not fit United’s profile and is not understood to be a player on Newcastle’s radar.