Newcastle Transfers: 10 Centre-Backs Magpies Must Sign

6. Samuel Umtiti

Age: 21 Club: Lyon Nationality: French Estimated market value: £8 million Club Appearances (Current, League): 98 International Caps: 0 Lyon look like they will be pipped to the Ligue 1 title by Paris Saint-Germain and that lack of silverware may force them into selling their most-prized assets - of which centre-back Samuel Umtiti is certainly one. Also able to play at left-back, Umtiti would bring vital versatility to a Magpies defence severely lacking in such a department - and the Cameroon-born Frenchman is extremely pacey, meaning he should be able to meet the demands of the Premier League. At the age of 21 Umtiti has already accumulated almost 100 Ligue 1 appearances, meaning he will not be arriving in the Premier League as a relative-newcomer to first-team football. At 5ft 11ins he isn't huge but he makes up for that with his pace and footballing ability. Newcastle cannot afford to delay in signing Umtiti as they did with Kurt Zouma at Saint-Etienne - because otherwise a big club like Chelsea will pounce and snatch up this talented defender.