Newcastle have reportedly made a €40m (£33m) offer for AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, with the Ligue 1 club rejecting the bid.
According to Foot Mercato via Onze, Monaco have turned down Newcastle’s proposal for their star defender, with the club eager to keep hold of the 20-year-old centre-back for the remainder of the season.
However, despite a big offer of £33m, Monaco have already told Newcastle’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owners that the bid has been rejected, with the club not budging on their stance with Badiashile.
The youngster appears to be a key target for Newcastle for both the short-term and long-term, with Badiashile one of Ligue 1’s most exciting defensive talents and a player who has competed at senior level since 2018.
Labelled as a ‘commanding’ player from the back as per GFFN, Badiashile has been chased by some years by Premier League clubs, such as Manchester United and West Ham. However, it now appears that Newcastle are the favourites for the defender.
Indeed, the northeast club are desperate to improve on their defence this January, with a centre-back the biggest area of the squad that Eddie Howe must improve on in the coming weeks. And Badiashile could have been perfect for Newcastle.
Badiashile is an ideal candidate to lead Newcastle’s defensive revival
At 20-years-old and 6’4”, Badiashile is a physical specimen of a defender, and it’s no wonder why Newcastle are pushing hard to sign the French youngster, who could be a player who leads the Toon backline for years to come.
Moreover, with Monaco rejecting a £33m offer for the defender, it highlights just how much the Ligue 1 giants value Badiashile, and how Newcastle will likely have to up their offer significantly if they are to sign the centre-back this month.
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