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Newcastle United agree deal for Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis

By David OrnsteinBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments164

Bafetimbi Gomis
Bafetimbi Gomis

Newcastle have agreed a fee to sign 27-year-old France striker Bafetimbi Gomis from Lyon.

The Ligue 1 club accepted an offer in the region of £8m, but Newcastle must still agree personal terms.

Gomis, who is close friends with Magpies midfielder Moussa Sissoko, scored 20 in 44 games for Lyon last season.

Newcastle are also working on a deal for QPR's Loic Remy, another France international, on a season-long loan.

Gomis, who has scored three goals in 12 appearances for France, becomes Newcastle's first major transfer business of the summer following Joe Kinnear's arrival as director of football.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has been in the market for a new striker having sold Demba Ba to Chelsea for £7m in January.

He will become the 11th Frenchman in Newcastle's first-team squad.

Gomis came through the youth ranks at lower league outfit Sporting Toulon Var before moving to St Etienne in 2000 aged 15.

The striker made his senior debut for St Etienne in 2004, and went on to make 142 league appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals.

He scored twice on his international debut for France in a friendly against Ecuador in May 2008, which earned him a place in Les Bleus' squad for Euro 2008.

In July 2009 Gomis made a £13m switch from St Etienne to Lyon where he has spent the last four seasons.

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164 comments

  • Comment posted by TotalFootball, at 19:19 2 Aug 2013

    Alan Pardeaux at it again

  • Comment posted by Lloydimus, at 20:15 2 Aug 2013

    They must be getting Bordeaux signing French players, I Marseille this... it's a Lille annoyed, but it is Nice to see. I need to stop but it's Nantes happening,

    Sorry!

  • Comment posted by User0090756686, at 19:21 2 Aug 2013

    Does it mean that Joe "Director of Kebabs" Kinnear can speak French?

  • Comment posted by JDP, at 19:18 2 Aug 2013

    Newcastle are just getting a bit ridiculousness now, they could nearly field a completely French 11 by now surely?

  • Comment posted by User0152190482, at 22:54 2 Aug 2013

    people complaining about being french, have you seen how much british players cost? 9mil for caulker? 35 for carroll? 15 for downing? the reason people go abroad is because of ridiculous pricing here! The fact that english clubs value bale over messi and ronaldo is why people don't want to do buisness with us. EPL is not the best league we just pay the most money

  • Comment posted by User0244728515, at 20:10 2 Aug 2013

    What? Yet another French player! Surely there must be a cheaper way for Alan Pardew's daughter to learn French.

  • Comment posted by User0117218983, at 03:03 3 Aug 2013

    Newcastle United are attmepting to become the first team to win the Premier League and the Ligue 1 in the same year

  • Comment posted by Glad All Over - CPFC, at 00:05 3 Aug 2013

    I'm not sure why we are considering touching Remy with a barge pole. Unless any deal with Remy includes some kind of clause that means we can return him to QPR if he gets convicted when his case comes to court then we would be mad to get him.

  • Comment posted by User0270899051, at 19:27 2 Aug 2013

    Watching Newcastle last year, the one thing I thought we needed was a few more French players.

  • Comment posted by David Luiz - A Returning Hero, at 20:45 2 Aug 2013

    I wonder how Mr Kinear pronounces Bafetimbi?

    Good deal for a decent striker at peak age. Who will end up with Cisse if the get Remy as well?

  • Comment posted by ttbwa, at 01:05 3 Aug 2013

    What's with all this anti Toon business. We have had British superstars like Owen, duff, smith, bowyer and dyer who couldn't care less about my team. Give the French lads a chance. As for wanting us relegated, who would you rather have us with 2000 -4000 away fans and 52,000 home fans or Wigan, Reading, Middlesborough etc. be careful what you wish for

  • Comment posted by Glad All Over - CPFC, at 21:21 2 Aug 2013

    Just watch as JFK manages to find a way to not get this transfer completed.

    "So, we are are prepared to offer you £50k per week Baf.. Bafta... Barry... Bath... Bath time."

  • Comment posted by User0445139442, at 00:42 3 Aug 2013

    Great signing by Newcastle. He is a proven striker. However, they might want to start investing in players from countries other than France as well. I just feel that so many players from the same country, that is not England, can not have a good affect on the rest of the squad. That being said, if they can keep Cabaye, Sissoko and Coloccini they are going to have a very strong season indeed.

  • Comment posted by BenH, at 19:59 2 Aug 2013

    Some good stats in here about how Gomis compares with Bent, Gignac and Remy, as well as Cisse.

    http://hitrowz.com/2013/07/19/newcastle-united-going-for-goals/

    I think on balance he'll be a positive signing for us. He offers something different to Cisse - more of a presence up top.

    I'd still like us to get Remy too to give another attacking option out wide.

  • Comment posted by gfranco-milano, at 22:59 2 Aug 2013

    Good player. All you lot criticising or ridiculing them for signing lots of french players. I say good luck to them. too many english players are either 1) mostly not good enough or 2) too expensive.

    Could get back in europa league again next season. above liverpool, just behind everton and spurs IMO.

  • Comment posted by Watsons_Opinions, at 20:48 2 Aug 2013

    @9

    That is not what Irony is.

    Sad to see you got +5 on your comment from all the other uneducated people who have an irony deficiency.

    As for this signing, the stats look good, I remember he was raved about a few seasons back so should be a decent signing if we can get cisse scoring again...

  • Comment posted by User0787023611, at 05:25 4 Aug 2013

    The real issue here perhaps is..why no new Geordie talent?
    Disgrace, no time invested in potential English young talent, just ok we can buy the best foreign youngsters or older for a bargain.
    We need a Geordie owner , be it sole , partnership, or collective, Geordie senior staff, Geordie managers, Geordie Players.
    Yes we may , flounder before prospering.
    But with Geordie blood and sweat, worth it.

  • Comment posted by User0253890377, at 19:19 2 Aug 2013

    Good signing but 2 strikers aren't enough, they should look to get 1 more experienced striker and then possibly a young striker for depth.

  • Comment posted by User0787023611, at 10:49 3 Aug 2013

    As a travelling Geordie, will tell you not only Newcastle but England are disrespected, due to the sell out of our culture.
    Other nations respect their history , we are been taught to sell it.

  • Comment posted by User0963913366, at 12:27 3 Aug 2013

    whats with all these French players? have they any scouts outside france?

    or are Newcastle thinking of becoming a French team ? wenger used to like the French players , but they ran out of talent

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