Newcastle are signing Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen for £24million.
It is understood that the highly-rated shot-stopper was considering his options this summer but will now join Newcastle after they agreed the £24m fee with Reims.
Standard Sport first reported on Tuesday that neither of the BlueCo consortium’s clubs Chelsea or Strasbourg would be signing the goalkeeper despite reports from France.
There had been reports that Jaouen had visited Chelsea’s Cobham training ground as he fielded interest from clubs, but this is not the case.
That said, there has been plenty of interest in the 20-year-old after his impressive displays for Reims in Ligue 2 in France and BlueCo had previously been tracking him before moving their attentions to other goalkeepers.
Newcastle have been keen on the player for some time and have now won the race to sign him. He has agreed to a four-year deal. While he will not challenge for minutes initially, he could stay at St James’ Park next season rather than being loaned.
His move will now be formalised within the next week, before he travels to undergo a medical with Newcastle.
Jaouen made his debut for France’s Under-21s in November but is an experienced international at younger age groups.
He joined Reims in 2023 from Guingamp, where he was a graduate of the Brittany club’s academy.
There is set to be a development in Chelsea’s goalkeeping department this summer, with Mike Penders to be part of Xabi Alonso’s first-team squad next season after an impressive loan spell at sister club Strasbourg.
The Belgium international will join up with the Chelsea first team after the World Cup and is set to provide competition for first-choice goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Penders’s impending move back to Chelsea comes as Filip Jorgensen pushes to leave in search of regular first-team minutes.
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