Newcastle United’s scouting department has identified another midfield option ahead of the January and summer transfer windows, according to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope.
Hope reported on Thursday that the
club are “keen on Auxerre midfielder Kevin Danois” and have been monitoring him closely.
According to Hope, there is no active approach at this stage, but recruitment staff have spent significant time assessing the 21-year-old, whose technical quality and work rate have stood out in their evaluations.
Hope reports that Danois is described within Newcastle’s assessments as comfortable in possession, hard-working and athletic, and capable of operating across multiple midfield roles.
Danois’ progress in Ligue 1 has been steady, and he scored his first goal of the season in Auxerre’s 3–1 victory over Metz a few days ago.
Interest in the France Under-21 international is not limited to Newcastle, however, with Hope noting that Bournemouth attempted to sign him in the summer, submitting a bid of around £10million that Auxerre rejected.
While Danois is viewed as a high-ceiling prospect, Hope made clear once more that AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit remains Newcastle’s “top midfield target”.
The club understands the competition for the 19-year-old and are therefore working in parallel on alternative options that fit the long-term profile they want to add to Eddie Howe’s squad, with Danois being one of the players who fit that profile.
