Reports: Newcastle ready to step up interest in Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette and Clement Grenier
Newcastle United are keeping an eye on the availability of Olympiue Lyonnais duo Alexandre Lacazette and Clement Grenier, according to reports.
Lacazette, who scored 23 goals for Lyon last season, is a man whom the Magpies have scouted extensively and feel is the right man for the job.
Newcastle were earlier put off by the £16million price tag put on the forward by Lyon and reports that he was nearing an agreement to sign a 3-year extension to his contract at the Ligue 1 club.
But, recent reports from France suggests that Lyon is willing to do business at a much lesser amount as the season draws near and that the player now also willing to join the Premier League with Newcastle.
While Alan Pardew has successfully added Emmanuel Riviere to his squad, he would like to sign another centre-forward this summer, having lost Shola Ameobi and Luuk de Jong since the end of last season as their top scorer Loic Remy.
Alan Pardew would also like to add another name to his ranks in the midfield to induce more creativity in that department before concluding business for the summer.
Hence, they are keeping an eye on Clement Grenier, a player that they have courted fruitlessly since last season.
Newcastle had twice made approaches to bring the midfielder across the Channel, but were met with rejection from the player on both occasions.
However, the situation might have changed in recent times with Lyon putting the midfielder up for sale.
Lyon manager Hubert Fournier was recently quoted as saying: “We have already agreed with certain players that they can leave if a good offer presents itself.
“For those who are allowed to leave, there is Clement Grenier, who asked us at the end of the season so that he could find a club to make a progression in terms of footballing level.”
Newcastle struggled mightily to create goal-scoring opportunities at the flag end of last season, scoring a mere 3 goals in their last 10 Premier League games.