Report details identity of unnamed midfielder Newcastle wanted to sign

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The Guardian have claimed on their deadline-day blog (Friday, 11.51am) that the unnamed midfielder Steve Bruce claimed Newcastle United almost signed was Lille star Boubakary Soumare – with a £35million bid accepted.

Soumare, 20, has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs this month including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United. But he has remained with French side Lille – even with Newcastle coming close to a deal.

Steve Bruce claimed on Friday that Newcastle agreed a fee for an unnamed star, but the player wanted to stay: “We had a bid accepted that would have nearly got us to our record transfer but, unfortunately, the player wanted to stay where he was.”

Since then, many fans have been discussing who Bruce was talking about – with the knowledge that a fee would be just beneath the £40million move to sign Joelinton. Now, The Guardian have claimed Newcastle wanted Soumare.

TBR’s view – Soumare would have been a real Newcastle statement

Soumare, who starred in the Champions League for Lille against the likes of Chelsea, Valencia and Ajax this season, has been linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs. A move to Newcastle, then, would have been a proper statement.

With owner Mike Ashley open to tabling such an offer for Soumare, it is clear that although Newcastle fans may despise the current owner – he has certainly backed the club in the transfer market since the arrival of Bruce.