Newcastle Edge Ahead of Manchester United in Race for Reims Starlet Zabi

Newcastle appear to have stolen a march on Manchester United in the pursuit of Reims midfielder Patrick Zabi, with the Magpies poised to complete what promises to be a club-record acquisition for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The 19-year-old Ivorian has caught the attention of several suitors following an impressive campaign in France. A box-to-box operator frequently compared to Paul Pogba, Zabi has featured 21 times across all competitions this season, notching two goals and laying on three assists. Paris FC and Manchester United had previously been linked, but Newcastle's hand appears decisively strengthened.

According to French sources, Newcastle representatives made the trip to Reims on Monday with serious intent, and the club now looks set to land their man. The midfielder would commit to a four or five-year contract at St James' Park, though he'll remain with Reims until the campaign concludes.

The fee involved would shatter the club's existing departure record. Hugo Ekitike's €35m switch to Paris Saint-Germain has long stood as Reims' benchmark, but Zabi's move would eclipse that figure.

Interestingly, Newcastle's transfer ambitions have been overshadowed by the Sandro Tonali saga in recent days. The Italian midfielder emerged as an Arsenal target following Mikel Merino's serious injury, with reports suggesting the Gunners were actively pursuing the deal. However, it transpired that Tonali's representatives had merely offered their client to the Emirates, with no genuine contact between the clubs materialising. David Ornstein confirmed the speculation stemmed entirely from the player's agent, ruling out any January exit for the Newcastle man.

Tonali's future remains a summer consideration, though his agent's apparent eagerness to engineer a move suggests further intrigue may yet unfold. Zabi could feasibly arrive as insurance, or potentially as a long-term successor to Joelinton, who has endured an underwhelming campaign punctuated by persistent injury niggles.

Eddie Howe has previously counselled caution on the January market, questioning whether immediate acquisitions offer genuine value. "The key thing for us to consider is business now versus business in the summer, value for money now versus value for money in the summer and signing the right player," the Newcastle boss explained. "Because if you sign the wrong player, you're carrying that then for a three, four, five-year contract."

The Zabi pursuit suggests Howe and his recruitment team have identified a prospect they believe justifies that investment, even if the paperwork won't be finalised until the summer window opens.