Exclusive: Newcastle and Sunderland race to sign Sidiki Cherif
Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham are plotting moves to sign Angers’ teenage sensation Sidiki Cherif, sources have told Football Insider.
Cherif, 18, has established himself as one of the most exciting young forwards in Ligue 1 after catching the eye for Angers, and is valued at around £22million.
The skilful forward has scored three goals in his last five games, including against Ligue 1 giants Monaco and Marseille, leading to speculation about his future.
Cherif’s performances have brought him onto the radar of a number of top sides across Europe, with the Premier League trio now keeping tabs on his progress.
The 18-year-old, who has represented France at Under-16 level, signed a contract extension last year and his current deal is set to run until 2028.
Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham tracking Cherif
Cherif primarily plays as a central striker for Angers, but is also capable of playing out wide, and while he still has room to develop, he is proving to be a promising talent.
Sunderland have strong links to French football through Regis Le Bris and their owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, whose parents were former owners of Marseille.
They landed two major signings from Ligue 1 during the summer, with Habib Diarra and Nordi Mukiele coming in, and remain keen to recruit from France.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have placed a focus on landing elite young talent from across Europe with a view to developing them into first-team stars and potential big-money sales.
The same is the case for Fulham, who have been frustrated in recent transfer windows, but are keeping tabs on some of the brightest talents in European football.
Newcastle planning contract talks with star players
Alongside their interest in Cherif, Newcastle are aiming to back Eddie Howe once again, both by recruiting new stars and keeping their best talents.
Football Insider revealed on 26 October that sporting director Ross Wilson is accelerating contract talks at Newcastle to get key players tied down to new deals.
This comes as Sandro Tonali signed a new contract, while Newcastle are planning talks with Bruno Guimaraes, as they aim to sure up their midfield options.
Meanwhile, the likes of Tino Livramento, Sven Botman and Fabian Schar are all expected to hold talks about renewing their terms over the coming weeks.
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