West Brom have activated a 12-month extension in the contract of Salomon Rondon, meaning he will not be a free agent next summer.
The Venezuelan striker - currently on loan at Newcastle - is now tied to the West Midlands club until 2020.
Rondon's £16.5million release clause is also no longer active and, should the Magpies wish to make permanent his stay beyond this season, a fee will have to be negotiated.
The situation is complicated slightly by Dwight Gayle's loan move in the opposite direction and it could yet be that a swap deal is arranged.
But if Rondon is a success under Rafa Benitez at St James' Park there is nothing to stop the Baggies demanding more than the £16.5m he was available for during the close-season.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was reluctant to invest that amount in a 28-year-old, especially as Benitez has so far refused to sign an extension to his own contract which has less than 12 months to run.