Player who rejected NUFC move still in talks with the club after Saudi takeover – The Athletic

Back in August, a flurry of reports arrived from France stating that we’d had a deadline-day bid rejected by Boubacar Kamara, with the player reluctant to join Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United.

The Athletic confirmed our interest in the Marseille star at the time, and their chief reporter David Ornstein has now issued an update on the Frenchman’s future.

With him yet to sign a new contract with the Ligue 1 side, he claims that the 22-year-old – who can play in midfield or at centre-back – has decided to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Interestingly, Ornstein also reports that, despite him REJECTING a deadline-day move to St James’ Park, we have remained in contact with the player following the completion of the Saudi-backed takeover on Tyneside.

Here’s a snippet from his latest piece for The Athletic:

‘There are suggestions that Marseille could yet make a last push to secure fresh terms but The Athletic understands Kamara has now opted to leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

Although it is unclear whether a destination will be confirmed in the coming weeks or further down the line, the decision to take on a new challenge outside of France is believed to have been made.

Kamara is not short of suitors. He rejected deadline-day moves to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United in the most recent market, and lines of communication with Newcastle have remained open following their £305 million takeover by a Saudi Arabia-backed group in October.‘

Although it doesn’t look great that he rejected us just a few months ago, a Newcastle United with Steve Bruce and Mike Ashley compared to one with Eddie Howe and ambitious new owners is very different – especially if we are still a Premier League club come the summer.

Kamara on a free transfer would also help us get round the FFP issues we’re likely to face should we stay up and look to spend big.