CITY are in the queue for Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong as they brace themselves for an "eventful" week on the transfer trail.

Head of recruitment Greg Abbott is keen to avoid the late scramble when the window shuts in eight days.

He is hopeful that an action plan this week can produce the fourth frontline striker that Stuart McCall wants to add before the deadline.

The Telegraph & Argus have been told that City's interest in Mansfield frontman Matt Green is "dead in the water" after the League Two club priced him out of the market.

But the list of targets that Abbott is working on does include Armstrong, the in-demand teenager who scored 20 goals on loan at Coventry last season.

Armstrong had hoped to force his way into Newcastle's plans and came off the bench in their opening two games.

But he was left out of the squad for the weekend win at Bristol City and Aleksandar Mitrovic's return from suspension tonight will push the England under-21 international further down the pecking order.

Magpies manager Rafa Benitez is trying to bring in another striker and will look to send out Armstrong for another temporary spell elsewhere.

City are among the clutch of clubs who would love to take him and Abbott said: "He is on everybody's dream wish list – as (Kieran) Agard was.

"I think with Adam's situation, if he doesn't go to another Championship club we would like to make it known he is right at the top of our list.

"He had a successful loan in League One and the natural procedure would be to put him in the Championship next.

"But would Newcastle want him to go to a competitor in the same division and score goals? That's a decision that they have to make and I'm sure they will do so at the right time."

Abbott expects a domino effect with player movement as the deadline nears. Deals involving higher-level clubs will potentially free up those on the fringes.

He spoke with City boss McCall at length after Saturday's win over Coventry and they have a clear idea of their objectives in the next few days.

Abbott said: "I'm expecting it will be a very eventful week. You're waiting for the top teams to get players in and then others suddenly become available.

"Once the big boys do their work, it might start filtering down. I don't want to be in the building on August 31 chasing a player.

"I do know Stuart's been delighted with the boys up front so far. The goals have come from different areas.

"It's still a priority getting another striker but the work these lads have done has made it easier."

City's best start to a season since 1997 has seen them pick up ten points from a possible 12.

Strikers Jordy Hiwula and Billy Clarke scored in the away wins against Peterborough and MK Dons, although James Hanson has missed the last two games with a thigh injury and could be a doubt again for Oldham's visit next weekend.

Abbott said: "I could sign a player today – a lot of players want to come to this club, especially with how we are doing at the moment.

"But Stuart knows hand-on-heart it would not be the right one. We want players in who are genuinely better than ours.

"The form of Billy, Jordy and Hanson before he got injured has been very good. There's also Vincent Rabiega and Reece Webb-Foster but we don't want to put them in if we don't think they are ready.

"We probably need another one for depth and options in that area. We are looking to complement what we've got but we've been delighted with the way we have started."