Newcastle United 'plan to take action' and submit bid for £13m-rated midfielder

Newcastle United have entered the picture to sign rising talent Desiré Doué and they are hoping to get a deal over the line before the January transfer window slams shut. The midfielder, who has struggled to establish himself as a starter at Rennes, is looking likely to move on from the French side.

According to L’Équipe, both Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund are interested in the 18-year-old and 'plan to take action' before the end of the winter window. The two sides recently 'took steps to gather as much information as possible' before they consider entering a 'more concrete phase' with their interest.

Rennes are expecting offers to land at their door for Doué, who has made 22 appearances so far this season but has been limited to mainly appearances from off the bench. The 18-year-old is an attacking midfielder by trade but can also operate on the left-wing.

The report claims that a move this month 'cannot be ruled out' but it all depends on how much the interested clubs put on the table. A transfer fee for Doué hasn't been mentioned but he is currently valued at €15 million (£13m) by Transfermarkt.

This link between Doué and Newcastle is not new either, as the Magpies were also interested in him during the summer window as well. Plus, with Eddie Howe and co looking at offloading Bruno Guimarães in order to meet Financial Fair Play regulations, there will be space to fill in the midfield after this season comes to a close.

Doué's current contract is due to expire in 2025 and with limited time on the pitch, the teenager's future looks increasingly likely to be away from Rennes. The Frenchman has never played outside of his home country, so the links to the Premier League and Bundesliga will certainly be exciting opportunities ahead of some of the most important years of his career.