It’s a new dawn at Tyneside after years of anguish. Newcastle United are back among the bests following the Saudi-led takeover, also the managerial excellence of Eddie Howe has brought them the limelight alongside the league’s ‘Big Six’ so far this term. They would continue their spending spree going forward and are ready to reignite interest in AS Monaco star Benoit Badiashile, Fichajes understands.
The 21-year-old centre-half progressed through the academy ranks of Limoges and Malesherbes before joining Monaco’s youth set-up. He eventually made it to their senior side four years back and soon secured a regular role in the heart of the backline. Badiashile is representing the Ligue 1 outfit since his teenage days and has so far appeared 134 times across competitions.
While his current contract with Monaco is set to expire in the summer of 2024, the Magpies are ready to splash a fee of around £35m to rope him in. Although he has failed to make the cut in Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad, the ceiling is quite high for the Frenchman given the maturity and composure exhibited already in his early 20s.
Why Newcastle United Are Keen On Badiashile
Newcastle United have ample options in the defensive third, yet they are keen on building a dynasty to maintain their supremacy for years to come. Sven Botman and Dan Burn have been tied down over the past two windows, whereas the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar are also there to challenge and cover.
Meanwhile, the Toon Army have already initiated a squad revamp by offloading their fringe players. Federico Fernandez was not retained beyond the 2021-22 season, also Ciaran Clark has been loaned out to Sheffield United with no future at St James’ Park. Paul Dummett is likely to leave the club as a free agent once his contract expires in the summer and the gaffer, therefore, is aiming for another highly-rated centre-back with European football on the horizon.
Lascelles has been deployed sporadically by the English boss. He is still the club skipper, but his style of play does not fit in Howe’s swift passing football. The former Nottingham Forest defender is not comfortable in terms of playing it out from the back and the lack of minutes in recent months has made him the fourth-choice behind Schar, Botman, and Burn.
Badiashile, on the other hand, is known for his physical as well as aerial supremacy while engaging in duels. He is a good passer of the ball and his concentration in deep defence would help him attune to the grind and demands of the English game.
