Lyon defender Jason Denayer is open to a move to Newcastle United in the summer when his current contract runs out.
Denayer, a 26-year-old Belgium defender, has refused to sign a new contract with the French club and is attracted to the project at Newcastle after seeing ex-teammate Bruno Guimaraes make the switch in January.
The Chronicle claim Denayer is open to the move and liked the area when he had a previous stint in the North-East of England with Newcastle’s hated rivals Sunderland, who now reside in League One.
Reports from France reaffirm his desire to leave his current club, with a number of suitors also being reported from the Serie A in Italy.
However, the main stumbling block in any deal is the defenders wage demands. He reportedly wants a contract worth around €5m a season, which Newcastle would be more than able to pay.
Denayer, a former Manchester City academy graduate, has been capped 33 times by the Belgium national team showcasing his international pedigree. He is rated at £18m as per transfermarkt.
He had made 14 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon this season before an ankle sprain in early December sidelined him. He has not appeared for the team since.
Newcastle will be in the market for defenders again in the summer, so the free signing of Denayer could be a solid acquisition from The Toon.