The striker joined the Championship club in late March with a view to a permanent switch to the Britannia Stadium.

After the Potters clinched promotion to the Premier League on Sunday, the deal was expected to be a formality, with the clubs having already agreed a fee.

But the 26-year-old – who saw his appearances for Stoke restricted by injury – is wavering over the move.

And it is by no means certain to go through, with Ameobi understood to be keen to return to Newcastle to fight for his place under Keegan next season.

Keegan himself, meanwhile, admitted after Monday's defeat to Chelsea that he did not believe he would have the kind of cash necessary to take the club back to the top end of the league table.

His plans would be further hit if he was to lose the anticipated windfall from Ameobi's proposed move.

However, there will be no shortage of interest in Ameobi from other clubs, and given the forwards ahead of him in the queue for first-team football at Newcastle, the former England Under-21 international's future could still be away from St James's Park.

He made just two league starts before his loan deal – one of them under Keegan – and for the first time in his United career he failed to find the net.

It was a stark contrast to his time under Sir Bobby Robson and Graeme Souness, when Ameobi – who has struck 46 goals for the club – was a regular in the Newcastle starting XI, and tipped for full England honours.

Meanwhile, Keegan has allowed Emre to miss Sunday's final game of the season away to Everton so he can link up with his Turkey team-mates ahead of next month's European Championships.