Deal for Outgoing Newcastle United Defender Could Be Completed in ‘Next Few Hours’
Porto are set to complete a deal for Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba for £8m according to reports in Portugal.
The Portuguese champions are confident a deal can be reached despite differences in valuations by both clubs for Mbemba. The 23-year-old is reportedly keen to move to Portugal with the chance of Champions League football too convincing to ignore.
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Mbemba has fallen out of favour for the Toon with manager Rafael Benitez preferring the centre back pairing of Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark.
And according to the Mirror, Newcastle are lightening their wage bill with the Mbemba deal and the potential sales of Dwight Gayle and Matz Sels to Stoke and Anderlecht respectively.
A Bola reports that the Congolese centre-back had offers from both West Ham and Celtic although his agent Fabio Baglio revealed that Mbemba is set to join the Portuguese giants.
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Baglio told A Bola: “He is very excited about signing for FC Porto. He is waiting for an agreement between the two clubs to travel to Portugal in order to undergo the medical examinations and put the signature on paper.”
Mbemba signed a five-year contract with the Magpies in 2015, signing from Belgian side Anderlecht. He has made 54 appearances for Newcastle, scoring one goal and helping them to the Championship title in his first season with the club.
Mbemba looked set to return to former club Anderlecht although they were unable to meet Newcastle’s £8m valuation of the defender.
