Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Monaco to rival Liverpool and Tottenham with £10m bid for Newcastle star Hatem Ben Arfa
FREE-SPENDING Monaco could outmuscle another Premier League side this summer and snatch playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa from Newcastle for £10m.
Ben Arfa - reportedly on the summer wishlists of Liverpool and Tottenham, could return to his home with moneybags Monaco.
According to reports in France, the newly promoted Ligue 1 side are willing to pay as much as £10 million for the 26-year-old.
While Newcastle would not want to lose the talented winger this summer, Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev has the financial power to tempt the Magpies into a sale.
If Newcastle do lose Ben Arfa to Monaco, they would not be the first Premier League side to be frustrated by the heavy spending of the Principality outfit.
Long-term Chelsea target Radamel Falcao looks set to join Monaco this week for a fee of around £50m, with Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes expected to ignore interest from Arsenal to join him in Southern France.
Claudio Ranieri's side have already completed a £60m double swoop for Porto pair Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez, announcing their intentions in this summer's transfer window early.
Rodriguez has been watched on numerous occasions by Manchester United, while both Tottenham and Chelsea were keen on Moutinho.
And Ben Arfa could become the fifth signing at the Stade Louis II stadium if Monaco force through their squad overhaul plans for next season.