Ewen Jaouen set to cost considerably less than £24m as new fee goes public

Newcastle United is on the verge of making its first signing of the summer as goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen flies to Tyneside.

It was reported over the weekend that Newcastle had reached an agreement with Stade Reims over a move for their highly-rated young goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen.

Newcastle had been linked with the 20-year-old several times, with reports in France claiming the deal had been done a couple of times before it was confirmed.

Jaouen looks set to become Newcastle's first signing of the summer, but reports that the Magpies were due to pay £24 million may have been wide of the mark.

Newcastle have shaved almost £6m off the initial asking price

Newcastle United will pay 'significantly less' than the rumoured £24 million for incoming arrival Ewen Jaouen.

The Mail's Craig Hope reports that the fee is around £18.65m, Fabrizio Romano believes it will be £18m, while The Telegraph's Luke Edwards claims it will be £18.5m with bonuses attached.

As Edwards points out in his article for The Telegraph, this move is the first true sign of the shift in transfer strategy at Newcastle. The club are looking to bring in young players flying under the radar, rather than chasing big names, hence growing interest in Osasuna winger Victor Munoz. 

Edwards also claims that Jaouen is being brought in for his potential rather than as someone ready to take the No.1 spot.

A sub-£20m deal is good value

It looks like we're definitely looking at a sub-£20m deal for the 20-year-old, which, given the high ceiling on his potential, could be an absolute bargain.

We expect that Newcastle will still be in the market for another goalkeeper, especially given the rumours around Nick Pope potentially moving to Ipswich or Leeds.

James Trafford still remains the favourite to come in and take the No.1 role, with Ewen Jaouen as backup. Both are young and top class, so Newcastle could potentially be set for years in that department.