Newcastle United are in the race to sign Lille midfielder Thiago Mendes, according to The Times.
The British newspaper state that the Magpies along with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield Town had all made contact about signing the player as all four had inquired about his services.
The Times report that the 5ft 7in Brazilian defensive midfielder (Transfermarkt) is valued as being worth £18million and also has Lazio as well as Wolfsburg keen on his services.
OPINION
Mendes would be the type of Magpies signing that fans would celebrate the club for but it also seems one that is unlikely to happen anytime soon. The 26-year-old midfielder is a fabulous talent as he is able to play sublime defence splitting passes as well as unleash powerful shots from distance that put every keeper on edge when they face him. However while the prospect of him wearing the black and white stripes of Newcastle United anytime soon is dreamy, with the club not being the biggest spenders in the transfer market it’s hard to see how they will win the race for his services. The player’s potential £18million starting price already effectively rules the Magpies out and he is no doubt set to go for more due to the high level of interest in him. If by some miracle Rafa Benitez is handed the funds to compete for Mendes’ signature then it will be one of the best signings that the club have made in recent seasons.
