Nice will demand around £23 million for Wylan Cyprien this summer even though the Newcastle United and Everton target has just one year left on his contract, according to Le10 Sport.
With clubs across the Channel hit harder than most by the ongoing financial crisis, especially given that the Ligue 1 season was curtailed rather than continued, Steve Bruce and Carlo Ancelotti might have hoped that they could snap up one of the county’s finest midfielders for a cut-price fee.
But, make no mistake, Nice have no plans to let Cyrpien walk away from the Riviera for next to nothing.
The 25-year-old is due to become a free agent in 2021. If you want to sign him in 2020, however, you will have to splash out a fee in excess of £20 million.
Over to you, then, Everton and Newcastle.
The Chronicle reported in March that Cyprien has admirers at Goodison Park and St James’.
Though it remains to be seen whether his Premier League suitors are willing to pay over the odds for his signature now, or risk waiting until the former France U21 international is available for absolutely nothing.
Though, as Nice boss Patrick Vieira admitted on Tuesday, Cyprien’s feet are growing rather itchy.
“He expressed the desire to leave,” the former Arsenal captain told Maxifoot.
A skilful and creative central midfielder with pinpoint accuracy from dead-ball situations, Cyprien produced eight goals and five assists in 2019/20.
Let’s just hope he adapts rather better than the last Nice midfielder to move across the Channel – Barcelona target turned Fulham flop Jean Michel Seri.
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