Newcastle look set to beat Liverpool to Ligue 1 African sensation
Published:
Newcastle United are reportedly looking to beat Liverpool to the punch when it comes to landing experienced Ligue 1 attacker Andre Ayew.
The 25-year-old winger and supporting striker came through the youth ranks at Marseille and has made over 180 appearances for L’OM to date.
However the Ghana international has made no secret of his desire to leave Ligue 1 with the Premier League his destination of choice.
Speaking in an interview with La Provence back in 2013, Ayew admitted he viewed the English top-flight as a “beautiful championship” and one he would like to play in.
“There are beautiful clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool, both Manchester clubs, Newcastle, Everton, Tottenham… They all play well in beautiful stadiums and can beat anyone at any time,” he said.
Fast-forward two years and with the attacker out of contract in the summer, a move to the Premier League looks increasingly likely.
And it’s one of those aforementioned “beautiful” clubs that have made the first move to sign the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finalist.
Reports suggest that Newcastle have approached Ayew with a pre-contract offer that could see them gazump both Liverpool and potentially Tottenham to one of the free signings of the summer to come.
A hard-working, pacy operator known for cutting inside from out wide to shoot, the Ghanaian is also highly-effective in the air and has scored 56 goals for Marseille throughout his career.
One of the few bright spots for the Black Stars at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, Ayew scored memorable goals against United States and Germany in the group phase.
More recently still, the 25-year-old scored three goals at AFCON 2015 including the strike that helped Ghana progress to the knockout phase of the competition.
An experienced operator in the Champions League with L’OM over the years, he would add a touch of class to Newcastle’s current attacking options.
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