Newcastle United and Liverpool plot move for forgotten Nottingham Forest star that’s won the Europa League
The defender failed to make a single appearance in his six-month stay at Nottingham Forest
Newcastle United are believed to be one of the front-runners in the race to sign highly-rated Sevilla defender Loic Bade in the January transfer window.
The Magpies remain in the market to sign reinforcements in the centre back area following injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.
Newcastle pushed hard to sign former Fulham star Tosin Adarabioyo before his move to Chelsea in the summer and also missed out on Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after a series of failed bids.
Eddie Howe’s team currently have Fabian Schar and Dan Burn as their first choice centre backs with summer signing Lloyd Kelly and Emil Krafth both providing cover. However, TeamTalk understands Newcastle still see centre back as a priority position to strengthen as they look to sign a younger player that can lead the backline in years to come alongside Botman.
Bade has caught the eye with a string of impressive performances for Sevilla in La Liga this season and is believed to be on the cusp of receiving a call up for the France national team after a string of impressive performances in the Olympics as the nation picked up a silver medal.
The 24-year-old started his career with Le Havre in France’s second division but caught the eye of RC Lens in 2020 after their promotion into the top-flight. Bade was a key part of the RC Lens team which defied expectations to finish seventh in their first year in Ligue 1 and after just one season the young defender completed a transfer to a Rennes side with Champions League ambitions.
The France Under-21 defender initially struggled for game time in the north west of France and after just one season was sent out on loan to a Nottingham Forest side that had just returned to the top-flight of English football. Amid an avalanche of new arrivals, Bade struggled to make an impression on Steve Cooper and ultimately left the City Ground after just six months without making a single first team appearance in England.
Bade’s availability quickly led to a loan transfer to Sevilla in January 2023 and the Frenchman seamlessly slotted into Jorge Sampaoli’s squad, making a combined 27 appearances in all competitions while notably scoring in a 3-0 victory over Manchester United in the quarter-final of the Europa League.
The defender went on to lift the Europa League that same season and was snapped up on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2023.
Bade has racked up 69 appearances across all competitions in Andalusia and is regarded as the Spanish side’s most important defender.
TeamTalk states that Newcastle and Liverpool are huge admirers of the centre back, who is believed to be valued at less than the £50m release clause that is currently inserted into the young defender’s contract.