For weeks, if not months now, the general expectation amongst fans has been that our next signing was going to be a young central midfielder currently playing on the continent.
A host of names, headed by in-demand AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, were linked as we reportedly planned to futureproof our midfielder and find a star in the making.
Whilst Smit eventually opted to stay at AZ for the rest of the campaign, and fellow target Kevin Danois is yet to receive a concrete offer, it looked like a late deadline day move for Reims midfielder Patrick Zabi was on the cards.
However, this move also didn’t come to pass, and it seems Newcastle may have missed the boat on the player entirely…
According to L’Equipe, 19-year-old Patrick Zabi has agreed personal terms with rising Ligue 1 side Paris FC, and will join the club in the summer for around £21.5m.
We had spent deadline day pushing to sign the youngster, and although we couldn’t get a move finalised on Monday, there were reports that we retained strong interest in securing a summer deal.
The Mail’s Craig Hope added that the general feeling on Tuesday night was that Zabi was content with his life in France, and wished to stay there rather than make the move to England at this early stage in his career.
Although the £21.5m fee seems pricey for an unproven talent currently in the second division in France, it’s another frustration for the club’s recruitment team, although L’Equipe report that Man Utd and Bournemouth also missed out due to his preference to remain in his homeland.
Now Zabi is Paris-bound and off the table, the recruitment team will head back to the drawing board and beginning working on some much-needed summer targets.
By the time the summer rolls around, there is a fear that Smit will be either unavailable or unaffordable, as the Dutchman has attracted suitors from Europe’s top clubs including Real Madrid.
There will be hope that Danois could be the answer if he continues to shine at Auxerre, whilst Smit’s compatriot Luciano Valente was a rumour that went rather quiet in the final few days of the window despite regular links to the Feyenoord talent.
But if our transfer activity in recent years has been any indicator, it’s we maintain interest for more than just a single window when we really want the player: so whether that be Zabi, Smit, Danois, Valente or a new target entirely, the summer search for our next midfield star will be an interesting one to watch unfold.
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