Anthony Knockaert has revealed the impact that Newcastle’s bid for him earlier in the summer, reports The Chronicle.
The French winger was in outstanding form as Brighton trounced Nottingham Forest last night. The 3 – 0 win took them temporarily to the top of the Championship with four points from their opening two games. The Seagulls travel to St James Park on the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of this month.
Knockaert spoke to local paper, The Brighton Argus and revealed:
“I feel very happy here, so if I need to stay I will stay. I know how much I love the club and they’ve been brilliant with me since I’ve been here.
“I am totally focused with the team and I have been all the time. There is no way the Newcastle bid distracted me. I love this team.
“The spirit is unbelievable. Our ambition is to get into the Premier League. This club deserves to do it and I will do everything to try to make it happen.”
Newcastle tried to sign the former Leicester City player with a £10m bid in late July. However, Brighton rejected the bid and look set to offer the winger a new deal.
Knockaert is keen for Brighton to improve on last season’s defeat in the play-off semi-finals and claim an automatic promotion place. It’s not the first time the Frenchman suffered heartbreak at that stage; he is remembered most for his last minute penalty miss which led to Watford securing a Wembley place on the counter-attack, at Leicester’s expense.
