Newcastle United are ‘serious’ about a move for Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram, but have ‘a lot of convincing to do’.
That’s according to SportBILD, relayed by Fussball Transfers, who say Newcastle are ‘first and foremost’ on the list of clubs trying to secure the Frenchman’s signature.
They report that the Magpies are ‘getting serious’ in the developing poker game for Thuram, who has been impressing in Germany this season and added to his reputation with France at the World Cup.
They want to lure the player to St James Park in the January transfer window, largely because it would be more ‘manageable’ than trying to compete for him in the summer when he will be available on a free transfer.
There is one catch, though, and that is the player’s wishes. He would like to wait until the summer before making a move.
That’s seen as a ‘plausible request’ as the choice of potential new clubs is likely to be greater at the end of the season and if a bidding war were to develop, it would have a ‘favourable effect’ on what salary he can ask for.
He, therefore, does not want to ‘give a promise’ to Newcastle too quickly, especially as they are not yet fully transformed into a ‘top club’.
While they can offer more money than others given the financial backing from Saudi Arabia, Thuram is not only interested in what he can earn, and other clubs are ‘currently more attractive’ to him.
Bayern Munich are one of those, but their interest has cooled, and should it not heat up again, the French forward is ‘clearly leaning towards’ Newcastle and the Premier League.
