Report: Newcastle want to sign Champions League winner with 'amazing strength'; PIF have already made a bid

By Lee Connor

Newcastle United are interested in signing French defender Ferland Mendy in January, according to reports coming from Foot Mercato.

Mendy is currently with Real Madrid and has played his part in both winning the Champions League and La Liga titles since moving to the club. Indeed, he remains a regular in the starting XI this season and has started the last five games for Los Blancos.

However, despite being a key player for Real, Foot Mercato claims that Newcastle want to sign the left-back in January if they can.

Mendy is still firmly under contract in Madrid until 2025, so any notion that the Toon think they might be able to do a cheap deal appears to be off the table. But with PIF’s backing, Newcastle will fancy themselves and FM reports that a bid has already gone in from the Toon owners.

Mendy, 27, has nine caps for France and would give Newcastle power and pace down the left side. With Kieran Trippier on the opposite side, the Mags would have a full-back pairing who the rest of the league would envy.

Highly-regarded by fellow French stars, Mendy has impressed Raphael Varane in the past with his strength.

He has amazing physical strength,” Varane told Marca. 

“He is adapting well to the team and to the league, and this helps us a lot.”

TBR’s View: Mendy a signing to take Newcastle to next levels

Newcastle’s next signings need to be players who improve not only squad depth, but the first XI as well.

In Ferland Mendy, they’d 100% be getting a player who does just that. At the end of the day, you aren’t Real Madrid’s left back for no good reason.

This one will be hard to pull off for the Toon and PIF. But if Newcastle can somehow do it, then it’s another statement signing from the top four contenders.