Arsenal and Newcastle ‘would like to sign’ €30m+ Ligue 1 star – Both ‘appreciate his profile’

Easily one of the better players in Ligue 1 last season, it isn’t surprising to see Arsenal and Newcastle United be linked with RC Lens’ Seko Fofana.

The Ivory Coast international picked up eight goals and an assist in 38 league appearances, forming a great partnership with his Malian teammate, Cheick Doucouré.

Both have found suitors in the Premier League, and L’Equipe report Arsenal and Newcastle ‘appreciate’ the profile of Fofana and ‘would like to sign him’.

The issue both the Magpies and the Gunners will face, however, is that ‘the player would still be inclined to stay in France, according to those around him’.

That’s where Paris Saint-Germain, also keen, would come in, as moving there would offer him ‘an unparalleled opportunity, with European prospects at stake’

Another issue is that any club, whether it be Newcastle, Arsenal or the Ligue 1 champions, who wants to sign him will have to dig deep.

Bought for €10m from Udinese, RC Lens ‘expect between €30-40m’, especially because they know the Italian side ‘will receive 20% of the capital gain made’.

So far, no offers have been made for Fofana, meaning that if Arsenal and Newcastle do want to stand a chance at signing him, putting money on the table would certainly help.