Newcastle United have identified Monaco centre-back Aymen Abdennour as their chief defensive target this summer - but they face a seven-way battle for his signature. The 25-year-old centre-back has been on Newcastles radar for several seasons having impressed at Toulouse and then Monaco in Ligue 1. But the Daily Mirror claim there are a long list of suitors queuing up to entice him away from the Stade Louis II - including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Inter Milan. Capped 33 times by Tunisia, Abdennour is regarded as one of the most-consistent defensive performers in France. Having helped Monaco to third place in the table and to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Abdennours agent revealed a couple of weeks ago that the defender could look to move on should there be interest. Newcastle, Arsenal and Everton are just a few of the Premier League sides who would love to bring him to England for next season, but Pep Guardiola has identified Abdennour as a defender who could strengthen his squad. The 6ft 2ins centre-back started his career at toile du Sahel in his native Tunisia, spending six months on loan at Werder Bremen in 2010, before moving to Toulouse in 2011. A transfer to Monaco then followed last summer after an impressive six-month loan spell. In all he has made 140 league appearances, scoring eight times. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
