Newcastle See Bid For French Left-Back Rejected

Newcastle have had a £7.5million bid for France Under-20 left-back Faitout Maouassa rejected by Rennes, according to reports in France.

L’Equipe claim the Magpies tabled the bid for the 20-year-old, who is currently on loan at Nimes, amid some rival interest from Ligue 1 outfit Nice.

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But the French club have now moved on to target other players after Rennes refused to entertain their enquiries, which suggests it will not be a straightforward operation for Newcastle to complete as they prioritise a left-back signing in January.

The Magpies are understood to be offering the full amount up front, which in the past has given them success in transfer negotiations with French clubs more used to seeing the transfer fee spread over the length of the contract.

Maouassa is thought to be keen on making the move to England, which has always been an ambition of his, but the timing could be better.

He is desperate to make the France Under-21 squad for this summer’s European Championships and believes he is more likely to achieve that with consistent playing time at Nimes during the second half of the campaign.