Sources: Newcastle to hold Badiashile talks today as new bid lined up after £33m offer
Newcastle United will hold new talks with Monaco on Wednesday in a bid to seal a breakthrough in their £35million-plus pursuit of defender Benoit Badiashile, Football Insider understands.
The north-east big spenders have turned their attention to the 20-year-old as they look to recruit at least one centre-back this month.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Monaco are open to selling Badiashile at the right price and the player himself is also very keen to move to a Premier League club like Newcastle.
That has given Eddie Howe and the Magpies hierarchy hope of securing a late-window deal.
Negotiations are set to resume on Wednesday as Newcastle submit an improved bid for Badiashile.
The Saudi-backed outfit have already had a £33million bid rejected for the France Under-21 international.
He is one of a number of central defenders on Newcastle's target list going into the final fortnight of the window.
Negotiations are taking place with multiple stars with the aim of bringing in at least one who can slot into the position.
Defence has been identified by Eddie Howe and his coaching staff as a pivotal position to strengthen.
Kieran Trippier has slotted in at right-back after becoming the new regime's first signing and Chris Wood took over the centre-forward role following his £25m arrival last week.
Badiashile is a Monaco academy product who has graduated into their first team and already has 105 appearances for the club.
That includes 20 this season, including 12 in Ligue 1 and four apiece in the Europa League and Champions League qualifiers.