The Guardian claims that Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has targeted Toulouse midfielder Achille Emana, as Keegan looks to rebuild his Newcastle squad over the summer.
Newcastle are understood to have opened initial talks with the full Cameroon international, and the players agent, Sebastien Thiery, has indicated that St. James’ Park would be an ideal destination for his client.
Thiery told the French Press: “Achille is ready to play in the Premier League and Newcastle is a team he would relish playing for.
“He is strong and is a box-to-box midfielder who also possesses a lot of pace. He has the right number of caps and the right amount of experience at 25 not to be overawed by the Premier League, which would be an exciting challenge.”
Emana, 25, began his career at Valencia before his move to French side Toulouse, and works as a fast, hard-working midfielder.
The Guardian suggest that the midfielder is worth around £5.5 million, and that a number of other Premiership and La Liga teams are on the trail of the Cameroonian.
With Emana open to a move, and a price tag that will not deter Keegan, Emana may be seen as the ideal replacement for the recently jailed Joey Barton, and the Toulouse midfielder would adopt a similar role to the one Barton had at Newcastle, minus the controversy.
Emana is said to be looking for a new challenge after Toulouse’s disappointing finishing to the season, which saw them occupy 17th position in Ligue 1, just a year after qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
[Source: Guardian]
