Top European club set to launch £13m bid for NUFC star named their 'No 1 target' - Report
After recent claims that Sevilla have made Florian Lejeune their top summer target, the Chronicle report that they are set to launch £13m bid for the Frenchman - an offer the Newcastle would immediately reject.
This comes less than a year on from his £8.7m move to Tyneside, with him clearly attracting interest after his impressive first season in the Premier League.
The story claims that uncertainty over Rafa's long-term future has bolstered the La Liga side's belief that they can bring the 27-year-old back to Spain, however they also insist that Newcastle would immediately reject any offer around £13m.
Here's a snippet from the Chronicle's latest piece on Sevilla's interest the centre-back:
"Sevilla are preparing a bid for Newcastle United centre-back Florian Lejeune - and have made the Frenchman their No 1 summer transfer target.
"It is understood that the Magpies do not want to sell the 27-year-old, who Rafa Benitez rates highly and believes can excel in the Premier League over the coming years.
"It is believed that the Spanish club have set aside £13million in their budget for the Frenchman, though Newcastle are unlikely to even contemplate selling at such a figure.
"They believe his price has at the very least doubled following an impressive second half to his debut Premier League campaign.
"Given that the centre-back still has four years remaining on his Newcastle deal, the Magpies are confident they can keep hold of Lejeune this summer - and are keen to do so unless they receive an astronomical bid."
The Europa League experts have been a constant fixture in La Liga's top 7 over the past few seasons, however you'd like to think that Lejeune would reject any approach to stay in the Premier League.
It sounds like we have no interest in letting him go either, and rightly so when you see how well he performed on his debut season in England.
He'll only get better and seems to be developing a brilliant partnership with Jamaal Lascelles at the back, so it's good to hear that we're 'confident' of keeping him despite Sevilla's strong interest.
