NUFC 'agree' personal terms for defender - £2.7m asking price - Report

According to French outlet RMC, Newcastle have now 'agreed terms' to sign Valenciennes defender Sikou Niakate - however the player's entourage are 'increasingly concerned' that a €3m (£2.7m) fee may not be agreed before tomorrow's transfer deadline.

Niakate is 19-year old defender who can operate both at centre-back and left-back, having played 29 times for Valenciennes last season - a side who finished 13th in Ligue 2 for 2017/18 .

Here's a snippet from GFFN's 'breaking news' on the defender, claiming we've 'agreed a provisional contract', but suggesting that we are met to agree a fee:

'RMC report this morning that Premier League side Newcastle United have agreed a provisional contract with 19-year-old Valenciennes defender Sikou Niakaté.

'The Ligue 2 side value the player at €3m, and the player’s entourage is becoming increasingly concerned that a fee agreement won’t be reached in time before the English summer transfer window closes.'

This is a worrying transfer link on a few fronts.

Firstly, it is a concern if we're now looking at signing a teenager playing in the French second tier to come in as cover for Lejeune and at left-back, and secondly, are we really that short on cash that we can't even pay £2.7m for a highly-rated young defender?

https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/1027125197000855552

https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/1027125921206161410