Newcastle United are ready to try again for Benfica midfielder Andreas Samaris.

The Mirror says Rafa Benitez made a summer enquiry about Greece international Samaris, but the Portuguese giants' £10million asking price put the Magpies off.

However, the 29-year-old is on course to be out of contract in Lisbon at the end of the season.

Samaris hopes to get a free transfer next month, and even if Benfica won't agree to that his looming free agency means he'll be significantly cheaper for Newcastle than he was in the summer.

Capped 33 times by his country, Samaris joined Benfica from Olympiakos back home in 2014 and has helped them win the title in all but one of his four seasons.