LOSC Lille are about to beat interest from Premier League pair Newcastle United and West Ham United to sign Ludovic Blas of FC Nantes with an agreement for his transfer imminent.
Blas to make final Nantes outing on Friday after Newcastle, West Ham interest
Ludovic Blas in on the verge of joining LOSC Lille, over interest from Newcastle United and West Ham United, after FC Nantes received an acceptable offer for their midfielder. That’s according to Foot Mercato, who claim Les Dogues did not baulk after their initial bid failed.
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Lille began negotiations earlier in the summer sales with an offer of €11m (£9.5m) for the 24-year-old. But Nantes deemed the bid to be insufficient for the former Guingamp player they signed for €8m (£6.5m) back in 2019, after he offered 15 goals and five assists last season.
Nantes were not against the former France U21 prospect leaving the Stade de la Beaujoire, however. So, Lille have now returned to the Pays de la Loire natives with an improved bid worth €15m (£12.5m). And Les Canaris are set to accept the offer with his move imminent.
It would take an ‘incredible reversal’ for Lille not to sign Blas from Nantes now. But he may yet make one final appearance at the Stade de la Beaujoire, which will even be against Les Dogues as they visit Les Canaris on Friday night on matchday two of the Ligue 1 campaign.
Blas played 78 minutes of Nantes’ opening day goalless draw with Angers SCO on Sunday. He also played 90 minutes as Les Canaris lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophee des Champions on July 31, having qualified through winning the Coupe de France last season.
Newcastle, West Ham miss out in race to sign prolific playmaker
Newcastle and West Ham have also shown interest in signing Blas from Nantes following his prolific exploits last term. Football Transfers cited the Premier League rivals as two of the midfielder’s many suitors this summer, after Eddie Howe had maintained his appreciation.
The Magpies held talks with Blas over a potential transfer back in January, but did not put a bid on the table. Watford, too, sought to sound out the conditions required for a switch. But the Frenchman had no interest in joining a side fighting the threat of relegation at the time.
Blas ultimately ending the 2021/22 Ligue 1 campaign with 10 goals and five assists from 35 games convinced Nantes he was worth €20m (£17m). But the midfield playmaker is on the cusp of leaving the Stade de la Beaujoire for Lille in a cheaper deal than Les Canaris hoped.
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