Newcastle are said to have had a bid for Lille midfielder Maia rejected.
French publication Le 10 Sport have claimed that Newcastle United have had a bid rejected by Ligue 1 side Lille for Brazilian midfielder Thiago Maia – and Toon fans reckon it means Mikel Merino is to be sold.
Maia, 21, midfielder was a mainstay of Lille’s side last season, playing in 34 of their 38 top-tier outings and even finding the back of the net on one occasion during a cup game against Le Mans.
Though a price was not mentioned, the report states that Lille were unwilling to agree a fee for Maia at the offered price, but it does claim that a deal could be reached if Newcastle meet the French club’s asking price.
The Toon already boast a number of central midfielders, with Mo Diame and Jonjo Shelvey forming a decent partnership towards the end of the season as Rafa Benitez guided his side to tenth place in the Premier League.
Newcastle fans reacted to the news that their club had had a bid rejected for two-time Brazil Under-23 international Maia, with some excited that the club could be set to bring in the highly-rated star.
But the majority reckon Maia will be a replacement for 6ft 2in Merino, who has been linked with a move back to Spain. Spanish newspaper AS claim Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao are keen on the former Borussia Dortmund star.
One fan described him as a “wonderkid”, while another suggested he would be a “potential replacement for Merino”.
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