7 hours ago
Sunderland are poised to motion nan long-time Newcastle target Dayann Methalie from Toulouse. The France Under-21s defender, who tin play left-back aliases wingback and besides run successful nan centre, has attracted wide liking this summertime but Régis Le Bris now appears adjacent to acquiring him for astir £26m.
Newcastle had extensively scouted Methalie, who made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse past season, and reportedly tried to motion him successful January. The nine person now indicated they opted against nan thought of recruiting nan 20-year-old and person not submitted a bid this summer. Nonetheless, Methalie appeared an perfect fresh for Newcastle’s caller transportation argumentation of recruiting young players successful nan £20m-£40m value bracket.
Sunderland tin connection nan 6ft 2in defender Europa League shot and he is understood to person verbally agreed a five-year woody astatine nan Stadium of Light, wherever he would not simply beryllium coached by a compatriot successful Le Bris but beryllium portion of a sizeable contingent of French-speaking players including Enzo Le Fée, Nordi Mukiele and Habib Diarra. Methalie will beryllium Le Bris’s 2nd summertime signing aft nan presence of nan Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier, who arrived connected a free transportation aft leaving Lille.
While Methalie is apt to look sizeable title from Reinildo to found himself arsenic Sunderland’s first-choice left-back, his amalgam of awesome betterment pace, robust physicality and assured near ft person seen him radiance arsenic a left-sided cardinal defender successful a backmost 3 and a backmost four.
Newcastle, meanwhile, stay successful nan marketplace for screen astatine left-back and right-back, pinch nan second position 1 Eddie Howe is peculiarly anxious to reenforce aft Kieran Trippier’s departure astatine nan extremity of past season.
Howe’s hopes of keeping Bruno Guimarães look to still remainder connected Arsenal’s willingness aliases different to salary a interest successful nan region of £80m for nan 28-year-old captain, who has been connected a post-World Cup vacation successful Brazil and is owed to return to Newcastle connected Friday, earlier travelling to a training campy astatine La Manga pinch nan remainder of nan first-team squad.
Joe Willock’s early astatine St James’ Park besides remains uncertain. Although Newcastle person rejected an connection successful nan region of £10m from Besiktas for nan erstwhile Arsenal midfielder, they look unfastened to trading him, albeit for a interest person to £20m.
