Newcastle Transfer News: Clement Grenier Bid Follows Move for Luuk De Jong

Newcastle have followed up their interest in Luuk de Jong with a reported move for Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier.

Sky Sports News claims the Premier League side have made a substantial bid for the France international:

As reported by Liam Prenderville in the Mirror, Grenier is a former Arsenal target and—following Yohan Cabaye's expected move to Paris Saint-Germain—the perfect addition to Newcastle's squad.

French football journalist Julien Laurens believes Arsenal will not follow up their interest, leaving the field open for Newcastle to make a move:

Grenier, 23, fits the profile of a Newcastle signing and would become the club's 10th Frenchman in their current squad.

Newcastle have targeted young or out-of-sorts players with potential who are available at low prices, giving them the platform to perform before selling on for a profit.

Per Ben Smith at BBC Sport, that is the model the sale of Cabaye is taking on. After signing the player from Lille for £4.3 million in 2011, Newcastle are set to net £19 million.

And the likely signing of de Jong could also follow suit, with Newcastle manager Alan Pardew telling Tim Oscroft of Sky Sports the Netherlands international will be given the opportunity to play regularly at St James' Park:

"

He went to Germany and it has not quite worked out for him for whatever reason, so we are kind of giving him a chance.

The platform for him is to come, play as well as he can and see if he can earn a contract here. He has got the credentials, he is a big target man with a good technique, he is the type of player our fans like.

"

Grenier and de Jong would improve the Newcastle squad should the sale of Cabaye go through, helping them to continue pushing for a European place.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The side currently lie eighth in the Premier League table, but compared to the budget of the teams above them they are punching their weight.

If they have ambitions to establish themselves further up the league and make progress in Europe they will have to add depth to the squad, which at the moment is lightweight.