‘Negotiations on’: Romano says rivals are in talks to sign £17m Newcastle target

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LOSC Lille have reportedly opened talks to sign FC Nantes superstar Ludovic Blas, who Newcastle United are also interested in acquiring this summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Ligue 1 giants have opened discussions with Nantes to sign the 24-year-old attacking midfielder, who last season enjoyed a fantastic campaign with Antoine Kombouare’s side which included winning the Coupe de France.

With a reported price tag of £17m, Blas would be an expensive signing for Lille this summer, though whilst Nantes won silverware last season and will now compete in Europe, the French side still need to offload some players to balance out the books, with star goalkeeper Alban Lafont also potentially set to leave in the coming weeks.

Lille might now be in talks to sign Blas, but it is Newcastle who have been the side that have had the strongest links to the French midfielder, with the Magpies chasing the Ligue 1 star for some time if reports are to be believed, with Eddie Howe seemingly keen to replicate the success of January signing Bruno Guimaraes.

The Brazilian joined from Olympique Lyonnais as one of Ligue 1’s best players, and with Blas impressing last year in the French top-flight, the 24-year-old could have a similar impact at Newcastle, yet as we now know, Lille are leading the charge to sign the versatile attacking midfielder.

Indeed, with Newcastle now pushing hard to sign James Maddison according to reports, it appears that the decision has been made to abandon a move for Blas, and with Lille in the driving seat to secure the Nantes’ star’s signature, the series of events could work out well for the Toon.

Newcastle moving for Maddison gives Lille free shot to sign Blas

Blas would have been an interesting signing for Newcastle, however, with the Magpies now moving for Leicester City star Maddison, the change in direction has potentially given Lille a free shot at signing the Nantes midfielder, who could be a brilliant addition for the Ligue 1 side.

After all, Lille disappointed last season following on from their 2021 Ligue 1 triumph, and signing Blas and targeting a French talent could be a brilliant step in the right direction to challenging PSG for the title once again, especially with Newcastle’s pursuit of Maddison giving Les Dogues a clear run for the 24-year-old.