Diame compared to Sissoko – Newcastle close to completing the deal of the summer

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Newcastle are close to signing Hull City midfielder Mohamed Diame.

Mohamed Diame celebrates scoring the first goal for Hull City

Newcastle United are close to signing Mohamed Diame from Hull City after activating the midfielder’s release clause.

Diame is en route to Newcastle for a medical, The Mirror report, with the club set to pay only £4.5 million for his signature.

The Senegalese midfielder excelled in the Championship last season for Hull, and is capable of playing at a higher level.

The former Wigan and West Ham ace netted the winner in last season’s play-off final and his departure would be a serious blow to Hull.

For Newcastle it would represent outstanding transfer business – especially as he would effectively replace Moussa Sissoko.

Sissoko starred at Euro 2016 with France but underwhelmed at relegated Newcastle last season, yet is up for sale at £20 million, The Times report.

To get Diame in for less than a quarter of the price they may sell Sissoko for would be the arguably the best deal of the summer, an astute piece of transfer business from a club who admittedly have struggled to be effective in the market in recent seasons.

The best direct comparison to make is when the players both featured in the Premier League at the same time, in 2014/15.

Diame held his own in comparison to Sissoko, netting the same number of goals and being more prolific in terms of tackles and interceptions.

Sissoko has more creativity to his game, but he did not really ever produce consistently in this area for Newcastle.

To ship one out and get the other in for a fraction of the price would be a terrific deal, and strengthen’s Newcastle’s chances of winning promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.