Montpellier may be willing to sell reported Newcastle and West Ham United target Gaetan Laborde, as the striker’s agent Christophe Hutteau told L’Equipe.
With Michel Der Zakarian’s team blossoming from pragmatists into purists this season, their 26-year-old centre-forward has been perhaps the main beneficiary of an all-new, attacking style of play.
Montpellier are just five points off the top of the Ligue 1 table and dreaming of Champions League football next term. Whether they secure a seat among Europe’s elite, however, could depend on whether Laborde stays or goes in the winter.
L’Equipe report that both Newcastle and West Ham want to take the late-blooming 26-year-old across the Channel in a deal worth £11 million, offering Montpellier the chance to make a sizeable profit on a striker they bought for £2 million as recently as 2018.
“If there is a concrete and satisfactory offer for both parties, we will sit around the table,” Laborde’s agent explained.
“(President) Laurent (Nicollin’s) deep wish is not to sell Gaetan now, but the current situation is very particular. The president knows how to manage his club. If there is a good offer, he will be attentive.”
Nicollin himself played down speculation surrounding the future of the Montpellier attacker in conversation with Midi Libre, claiming that he is yet to receive an offer for Laborde.
That could change in the next few weeks, however.
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