Newcastle United are reportedly set to sign Eibar defender Florian Lejeune.
Eibar’s Florian Lejeune
According to The Mirror, Newcastle United are set to sign Eibar defender Florian Lejeune by activating an £8.7million release clause in his contract.
The Magpies are looking for new additions after winning promotion back to the Premier League, and they have already sealed one permanent signing by landing Christian Atsu from Chelsea after a successful loan spell.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez
Manager Rafael Benitez will want to strengthen a number of areas of his team, and despite having Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Chancel Mbemba and Grant Hanley at his disposal, a new centre back appears to be on the Spaniard’s wish list.
The Mirror now report that Newcastle are poised to make Florian Lejeune their second signing of the summer, having activated an £8.7million release clause in the Eibar star’s contract.
Eibar’s Florian Lejeune (R)
Lejeune, 26, featured for Istres, Villarreal and Girona before making a shock move to Manchester City in 2015, though they sold him to Eibar last summer after a loan spell with Girona.
A former France Under-20 international, Lejeune has impressed in La Liga this past season, and Eibar are now allegedly set to lose him to Newcastle in the coming weeks.
Eibar’s Florian Lejeune challenges Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo
Standing at 6ft 3in tall, Lejeune is a big, powerful centre back who will now be hoping to finally make an impact in the Premier League with Newcastle, having never had a chance with Manchester City.
Lejeune’s expected move to St. James’ Park means that the aforementioned Hanley is surely set to leave the club this summer, as he will be pushed even further down the pecking order after a disappointing campaign.
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