NEWCASTLE United’s French revolution continues to gather pace – as they aim to make it FIVE Gallic signings before the transfer window closes.
Striker Yoan Gouffran is expected to seal his move to the Magpies today after announcing last night he was on the verge of completing his transfer.
And Newcastle will now look to push through a cut-price deal for Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko before the weekend.
Gouffran will join fellow Frenchmen Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haidara as United’s January signings after a fee believed to be in the region of £1.5m was agreed for the 26-year-old.
Yanga-Mbiwa completed his move last night, signing a five-and-a-half year contract for a fee believed to be around £6.7m, while Haidara was also on Tyneside undergoing his medical, as the Gazette revealed yesterday.
And on a hectic day of transfer activity, Newcastle chiefs returned to Bordeaux with an improved offer for Gouffran having seen their initial bid rebuffed.
That was accepted last night, and the striker took to Twitter to reveal his thoughts on the move.
He said: “I needed a new challenge so I hope you will respect my choice.
“Tomorrow I will be a new player of Newcastle and I am proud, thanks to all.”
Gouffran is a pacy striker who can operate on either flank or through the middle, and is seen as a replacement for Demba Ba, who joined Chelsea earlier this month.
He has scored eight Ligue 1 goals this term, plus four in the Europa League, though didn’t find the net against Newcastle when they beat Bordeaux 3-0 at St James’s Park in November.
he was out of contract at the end of the season, which allowed Newcastle to get him for a small fee, as they hope to do with Sissoko.
The midfielder was left out of Toulouse’s game against Paris St Germain tonight amid reports that he is due on Tyneside for talks over a transfer.
Newcastle had originally wanted to sign the player on a pre-contract which would see him join on a free transfer in the summer, but given their precarious position in the Premier League, and the fear of being gazumped by another club as they were with Loic Remy and QPR last week, United’s delegation of chief executive Derek Llambias and secretary Lee Charnley are now trying to bring the player to Tyneside this month.
A box-to-box midfielder, 23-year-old Sissoko has five caps for France.
Twitter @rossgregory9
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