Newcastle United are reportedly said to be preparing a €45 million offer to sign Real Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir during the January transfer window.
Newcastle United are ready to splash €45 million to sign 2018 FIFA World Cup winner Nabil Fekir from Real Betis during the winter transfer market. That’s according to Spanish outlet Fichajes, who claim that the Magpies hold a long-standing interest in the 25-time capped French international and are set to make a second attempt to sign him in January after a failed bid last summer.
Once on the verge of a move to Liverpool that never transpired, the 29-year-old has been with Real Betis since 2019, signing from his boyhood club Lyon in a deal worth around £25 million. And it’s safe to say he has endured a fruitful spell at the Estadio Benito Villamarin thus far.
Fekir has scored 25 times in 128 appearances for Betis, adding 25 assists in the process. That amounts to a 0.39-goal contribution each game. He helped Los Verdiblancos qualify for the Europa League by finishing sixth in the 2020/21 season, and better that with a fifth-place finish the following season. He was also on the team that won the Copa del Rey with a penalty shootout triumph over Valencia last season.
He has managed to impress this season as well, despite a slow start due to niggling injuries, scoring three goals in ten games across all competitions. He even netted in Betis’ 3-0 win over HJK Helsinki in the midweek as the club advanced to the Europa League knockout rounds.
He was rewarded with a new deal back in January that ties him to the Andalusian club until the summer of 2026. But that hasn’t deterred rumours about a potential switch to the Premier League, with Arsenal, West Ham United, and Newcastle all vying for his services.
The Magpies are reported to be ahead of the queue, and a fee of about €45 million has been quoted as sufficient to clinch a deal to bring Fekir to St James’ Park. The Magpies are looking to add further quality and depth this January as Eddie Howe looks to consolidate the club in the upper echelons of the Premier League after an excellent start to the season that saw them gatecrash the top four.
Keeping off the big boys will not be an easy task, and experience and quality depth could prove vital in the second half of the season. At 29 years old, Fekir doesn’t really fit Newcastle’s recently adopted transfer philosophy of bringing in up-and-coming future stars who can grow with the club, the likes of Garang Kuol, among others.
However, Fekir comes with a wealth of experience, having earned 25 caps for the French national team and playing in European competitions on numerous occasions. Comfortable at operating in midfield as well as in the forward line, his versatility makes him a useful player for Howe and co.
That being said, a €45 million transfer fee is pretty steep for a 29-year-old, though there is no questioning his ability to create chances and find the back of the net. It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will splash the required amount to make a statement or turn their attention elsewhere.
