Sources: Newcastle United hijack Everton deal for Leander Dendoncker after late-night twist
Newcastle have hijacked Everton’s deal for Wolves midfielder Leander Dendoncker, sources have told Football Insider.
The Merseysiders have had an £8.5million bid for the 27-year-old rejected but are set to return to the negotiating table with an improved offer.
Everton had been confident of getting a deal for Dendoncker over the line following preliminary discussions.
Now Newcastle have entered the race for the signature of Dendoncker as they look to recruit a defensive midfielder of their own by Thursday’s transfer cut-off.
The Belgium international is on their radar and they registered their interest in him on Monday night.
Cash-strapped Wolves could be ready to let Dendoncker go after he was dropped from their line-up.
He started Wolves’ first two games of the Premier League season but has been used as a substitute in the last two.
Club-record signing Matheus Nunes has relegated the former Anderlecht star to the substitutes’ bench following his arrival at Molineux.
Dendoncker, who is under contract until June 2023, made 34 appearances for Wolves last term.
The holding midfield ace can play at centre-back, as well as in central midfield.
Football Insider revealed on Monday (29 August) that Idrissa Gana Gueye’s proposed return to Everton from Paris Saint-Germain is in danger of collapsing – meaning the Toffees remain in the market for a defensive midfielder.
Frank Lampard’s side have already added Amadou Onana to their defensive midfield options this summer but remain in the market following the losses of Donny van de Beek and Fabian Delph at the end of last term.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are looking to make Dendoncker their fifth addition of the summer after the club-record signing of Alexander Isak last week.
In other news, finance guru claims Magpies owners are preparing “huge” bid as £22m-a-year terms agreed.