Newcastle want Sekou Mara and have turned to the Bordeaux attacker after missing out on a deal for fellow French talent Hugo Ekitike.
It’s almost a relief to have the Ekitike saga finally done and dusted.
Newcastle chased Ekitike in January but couldn’t get a deal over the line before returning with a new move this summer.
Once again though, Newcastle couldn’t work out a very complicated deal for Ekitike and he has instead joined Paris Saint-Germain.
Newcastle will now have to look elsewhere for a new attacker but could still go for another French talent.
Newcastle want Sekou Mara
The Daily Mail report that Newcastle have made contact over a move for Bordeaux’s Sekou Mara by asking about a potential deal.
Mara, 19, only started eight Ligue 1 games this past season but still managed six goals in under 900 minutes of action.
The teenager played mostly as a striker last term but can also play out wide if needed – two areas Newcastle are seeking to improve.
Mara started out in the Paris Saint-Germain ranks before joining Bordeaux via Boulogne-Billancourt in 2017.
Mara has been hailed as a ‘complete striker’ back in France and he is being backed for a huge future having shown outstanding potential.
Newcastle may fancy signing Mara and their cause will surely be helped by Bordeaux’s terrible off-field situation.
Bordeaux were relegated from Ligue 1 having finished bottom of the table, but were then demoted to the third tier due to financial irregularities.
A wonderkid like Mara may not fancy playing in France’s third tier, especially if a move to the Premier League is on offer.
Manchester City are understood to be keen on a £12million deal for Mara, making him cheaper than Ekitike whilst being arguably just as exciting.
That’s something for Newcastle to consider, with Mara potentially emerging as a very sensible alternative to the new PSG man.
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