Newcastle United look likely to miss out the signing of Aymen Abdennour this summer, with Valencia reportedly in talks with Monaco over taking the sought-after centre-back to La Liga. Get French Football News claim that the Principality club are demanding £22 million (30 million) for the defender and, although Valencia are now willing to match such a figure, negotiations remain ongoing between the two clubs. The huge figures being touted for Abdennour mean that, should the Magpies make an 11th-hour effort to sign the centre-back before the window closes on Tuesday evening, then they would be forced to smash their own transfer record in order to get the Tunisian. Barcelona, Juventus, Aston Villa and Roma are just four of the clubs alongside Newcastle and Valencia who the French publication suggest have enquired about the defender's availability this summer. They also claim that the Magpies had a bid turned down in June for the centre-back. Interestingly, last month Foot Mercato claimed that the Magpies had opened the expected bidding war for the centre-back by offering 17 million (£12 million) for the Tunisian international - although it seems Monaco want a far greater fee than that. The 26-year-old centre-back has been on Newcastles radar for several seasons having impressed at Toulouse and then Monaco in Ligue 1 but there are a long list of suitors queuing up to entice him away from the Stade Louis II. 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 earlier this summer that the defender could look to move on should there be interest. The 6ft 2in 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.
