According to the Mirror, Rafa Benitez has reignited his interest in Benfica midfielder Andreas Samaris – with the club now eyeing a cut-price January deal now his contract is due to expire in the summer.
Samaris is a name you may be familiar with by now, with the Greek international being someone we were regularly linked with over the summer.
The Mirror’s ‘exclusive’ claims that we were put off by Benfica’s £10m asking price just a few months ago, however he could be available for considerably less in January given he will be available on a free next summer.
Here’s a snippet from the piece itself:
‘Newcastle are ready to go back in for Benfica’s Andreas Samaris when the transfer window reopens.
‘Rafa Benitez made a summer enquiry about Greece international Samaris, but the Portuguese giants’ £10million asking price put the Magpies off.
‘However, the 29-year-old is on course to be out of contract in Lisbon at the end of the season.
‘Samaris hopes to get a free transfer next month, and even if Benfica won’t agree to that his looming free agency means he’ll be significantly cheaper for Newcastle than he was in the summer.
The piece states that, despite his popularity in Portugal, he has his ‘heart set’ on a move to the Premier League – with us described to be in the ‘driving seat’ to sign him despite interest from Southampton.
The 6ft 2′ midfielder has helped Benfica to the league title in three of the last four seasons, with him likely to be seen as much needed competition for Mo Diame in that holding role should news of our interest prove to be true.
