Newcastle United Lining Up £4.5 Million Transfer Bid For Benjamin Corgent
The Magpies tried to buy the 24 year-old Dijon FC attacking midfielder last month and will try again in the summer.
24 year-old Dijon FC attacking midfielder Benjamin Corgnet is a transfer target for Newcastle United, according to reports out in France. The radio station RMC Sports say the French midfielder was subject of a £4.5 million transfer bid from The Magpies in early January but Dijon, who are struggling 3 points off the drop zone in the French first division, turned down the offer to help keep a key player in their relegation battle. Reports today suggest the club will be happy to offload Corgent for a similar price in the summer with Liverpool and Arsenal also keeping tabs on the player. Dijon manager Patrice Carteron said when he rejected the £4.5 million offer last month; We had a direct approach from Newcastle, but he is of the same approach as us and wants to continue to grow and play a full season in Ligue 1. We would allow him to leave at the end of the season. Newcastles offer was very high. Corgnet, who turns 25 in April, has played for Dijon for two season, appearing 56 times with 50 starts and 9 goals. Before that he had been playing in the fifth division of French football, a late developer presumably. It has been no secret that Pardew wants another midfielder with the ability to get goals to help ease the pressure on Yohan Cabaye and to in some way replace the goals from that area which Newcastle have missed since selling Kevin Nolan to West Ham United. Interestingly though Newcastle's large offer is around the same figure they lured Cabaye, an accomplished French international for, just last summer. But Chief Scout Graham Carr sure has a great track record at picking players from abroad and if he likes Corgnet, then this lad must have something.