Alavés are interested in a second loan deal for Newcastle United defender Florian Lejeune, but the Magpies are insisting on a sale for the Frenchman.
That’s according to Noticias de Álava, who say Newcastle’s insistence on a sale is causing an issue between the two clubs.
Lejeune spent last season on loan with the Spanish side and established himself as a regular under managers Pablo Machín, Pitu Abelardo and Javi Calleja.
They are ‘very interested’ in bringing him back for a second spell but finding an agreement with Newcastle is proving to be ‘more complicated’ than last year.
That’s because the Magpies ‘prefer to sell’ this time around, but Alavés are not interested in that as they have made it clear there will not be any ‘significant financial outlay’ in terms of transfer this summer.
That’s left Lejeune’s future ‘up in the air’ at this moment in time, with him having recently returned to pre-season training at St James Park.
He was a key player for Alavés last season and would presumably like to be so again, and Newcastle are happy to let him go permanently.
The Spanish side can’t/won’t offer that, though, meaning some sort of agreement will have to be found if he is to make a return after his successful loan spell last season.
