It’s been running for longer than Rafa Benitez would have liked but it seems that moves to sign Florian Lejeune are close to completion.
The Eibar defender was identified by the Newcastle boss long before the season ended as the type of player needed to secure his side’s avoid the relegation battles of past Premier League campaigns.
At £9m Lejeune seems a snip but until he signs on the dotted line and is pictured with a black and white scarf above his heads fans will be wary of counting chickens.
Long before promotion had been secured Benitez was aware that a very different side would be required for life in the Premier League with no room for sentiment.
With a CV that covers clubs in France and Spain that have generally been punching above their weight Lejeune knows what it’s like to be scrapping against the odds.
Next Monday Newcastle return for pre-season training with all eyes looking across the squad for new faces.
No one will be looking closer than Rafa with the arrival of the 26-year-old crucial to how the new campaign is likely to shape up.
