Newcastle United have agreed a deal to sign midfielder Aladji Bamba from Monaco.
According to multiple reports, Bamba is travelling to Tyneside for a medical after an agreement was reached on a €41million (£35m) package.
Newcastle will pay an initial £30m, with the remainder coming in the form of add-ons.
The 20-year-old is set to become Newcastle’s fourth signing of what has been another testing summer for the Magpies.
Newcastle have already signed France Under-21 goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, Ivory Coast winger Bazoumana Toure and another midfielder in 18-year-old Sean Steur, who joined from Ajax.
Bamba only broke into Monaco’s first team last season, making 25 appearances in all competitions, with 12 of them starts. A primarily defensive midfielder, Bamba provided two assists in his 18 Ligue 1 games.
The focus on youth represents a shift in approach from Newcastle, who have seen Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali leave for Barcelona and Tottenham respectively. There remain questions around the future of captain Bruno Guimaraes amid interest from Arsenal.
Newcastle have also missed out on two priority targets in the form of Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi. Munoz signed for Liverpool while Manzambi opted to join Aston Villa.
But in Bamba they appear to have landed a player who fills a long-time hole for manager Eddie Howe.
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While Newcastle’s midfield trio of Tonali, Guimaraes and Joelinton was regularly praised as one of the best in the Premier League in previous seasons, they have long since lacked a true defensive midfielder.
The absence of a number six became increasingly apparent last season as Newcastle’s form dipped and they slumped to a disappointing 12th-placed finish.
Too often, opponents were able to find significant space between defence and midfield and put Newcastle under significant pressure. The 2025-26 campaign marked the first in which they conceded more league goals (55) than they scored (53) since the 2021-22 camapign, when Howe came in after the Saudi-led takeover and rescued the club from relegation.
While he is inexperienced, Newcastle will hope Bamba can fix that issue having impressed in his first season in Ligue 1.
Per Opta, Bamba won 9.1 duels per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 in 2025-26, the most of any midfielder to play 500-plus minutes.
Though Newcastle have addressed one issue in midfield, they could yet need to find a replacement for talismanic skipper Guimaraes, should he indeed get his wish of a move to Arsenal.
While reports from Newcastle have insisted the club has not received a formal approach from the Gunners, the Premier League champions are expected to intensify their efforts to sign the Brazil star. Newcastle are said to value Guimaraes at £100m.
And with Joe Willock reportedly in talks over a move to Besiktas, at least one more midfield incoming appears likely for Newcastle before the end of the transfer window.
