Newcastle monitoring promising defender ‘with interest’ – Have ‘activated network’ to work out ‘feasibility’

Newcastle United are monitoring Monaco defender Benoît Badiashile ‘with interest’ as they look to add a central defender to their squad this month.

That’s according to L’Equipe, who say Eddie Howe’s side are using their contacts to work out if a deal is possible.

The newspaper explains that Badiashile does not intend to leave Monaco this month, but that is far from a foregone conclusion because there is Premier League interest in him.

Wolves have already made an approach to the Monegasque club for the highly-rated defender, who is seen as someone with ‘great potential’ by a number of clubs in Europe.

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Newcastle are currently scouring the market for a centre back and while they are focusing on West Ham’s Issa Diop but will watch the developments around Badiashile ‘with interest’.

They have already ‘activated their networks’ to ‘measure the feasibility’ of getting the 20-year-old before the end of the window.

If they are to do so, they will have to go above €30m, which has already been proposed by Wolves and swiftly rejected by those in charge of the principality club.

Of course, money is no object for Newcastle this month, so that is a figure they could go well beyond, and L’Equipe insist the ‘case is not closed’.