Newcastle Eyeing £11m Portugal International Defender

Guerreiro still appears to be on NUFC's radar this summer.

By Chris Waugh /

Newcastle United are continuing to monitor left-back Raphael Guerreiro's situation at Lorient, with the Magpies keen to add to their defensive contingent before the window shuts, according to reports. Sport Witness claim that Steve McClaren has his eyes firmly set on signing the 21-year-old this summer, but that he would need to pay up to £11 million in order to sign the Lorient defender. The versatile defender has two years remaining on his Lorient contract and he seems to be of interest to the Magpies, mainly due to the fact he can operate at both left-back and on the left-wing.
Interestingly, when Lorient's president Loic Fery was asked about Guerreiro potentially leaving the club this transfer window earlier this month, he told L€™Equipe:
"I don€™t need to explain why we want ‚12.5 million when (Layvin) Kurzawa and (Lucas) Digne are valued today at ‚25 million (£17.7 million). "No one (is) untransferable - but (only) at a fair price."
A two-cap Portugal international - he even netted the winner during his nation€™s 1-0 friendly victory over Argentina at Old Trafford last November - Guerreiro is extremely highly rated and is known to bomb forward at every possible occasion, a trait both McClaren and Ian Cathro love in full-backs. Described as a somewhat €œintroverted character€, Guerreiro made 33 appearances for Lorient last season, scoring an impressive seven goals from left-back. Throughout his career in all, for both Caen and then Lorient, the 5ft 7in defender has scored eight goals in 108 appearances. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCulture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.