Newcastle, Liverpool, PSG and Barcelona 'eye' Serie A star as reports reveal Inter Milan ace ‘rejected’ January move to Tyneside

Newcastle are reportedly among a group of European giants eyeing a move for Ac Milan’s Franck Kessie.
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Here, we round-up all the latest transfer news and stories that have emerged today from St James’s Park and beyond:

Defender set for contract extension

Fabian Schar could be set to sign a two-year extension to his Newcastle United contract - according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 04: Franck Kessie of AC Milan battles for possession with Andrea Schiavone of Salernitana  during the Serie A match between AC Milan v US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 04, 2021 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 04: Franck Kessie of AC Milan battles for possession with Andrea Schiavone of Salernitana  during the Serie A match between AC Milan v US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 04, 2021 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 04: Franck Kessie of AC Milan battles for possession with Andrea Schiavone of Salernitana during the Serie A match between AC Milan v US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 04, 2021 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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Schar’s deal on Tyneside is set to expire this summer, however, the Swiss international has been in tremendous form recently and could extend his stay in the north east by an additional 24 months.

Under Eddie Howe, Schar has impressed alongside Jamaal Lascelles with his recent good form reportedly attracting attention from at least two other Premier League sides.

Howe even admitted last week that Schar is a player he has admired for a long time:

“Fabian’s someone I’ve always admired from afar for a number of years,” said Howe. “We were aware of him before he signed for Newcastle. Really, really good footballing centre-back.”

Inter star ‘turned down’ Newcastle move

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According to reports from Tuttomercato, picked up by HITC, Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij turned down a move to Newcastle United last month.

Even though Newcastle made an approach that was described as a ‘very rich proposal’, the report suggests that De Vrij ‘immediately’ rejected any potential of a move to Tyneside.

De Vrij was named as Serie A’s Defender of the Year last season as his efforts, under the guidance of Antonio Conte, helped Inter win the Serie A title, delivering their first Scudetto since 2010.

De Vrij, 30, has been capped 55 times by the Netherlands and could make a move to England in the summer with Conte reportedly interested in a reunion with the defender.

European heavyweights keen to land AC Milan star

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Newcastle are among a cluster of European giants that are interested in AC Milan’s Franck Kessie.

Kessie, 25, is out of contract at the San Siro this summer and will seemingly not have a shortage of options when his deal in Italy expires.

Alongside reported interest from Newcastle, the Liverpool Echo report that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also interested in the Ivorian midfielder.

Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are also keen on the 25-year-old who has been an almost ever present for I Rossoneri this campaign.

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