Newcastle United ‘like’ RC Lens midfielder Seko Fofana as they continue to assess their options this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Magpies have already enjoyed a relatively productive transfer window but are expected to bring in further reinforcements as they look to continue their progress both on and off the pitch.

What is the latest news involving Fofana?

French outlet L’Equipe (via The Sun) have reported that Newcastle and fellow Premier League outfit Arsenal are eager to snap up Fofana ahead of next season.

It’s believed the Ivory Coast international is available for between €30-40 million (£25.3-34m) following two outstanding campaigns for Lens.

However, Newcastle and the Gunners could face a difficult task trying to persuade Fofana to return to English shores as Paris Saint-Germain are also listed amongst his potential suitors.

And L’Equipe state that the 27-year-old’s preference is to remain in France, meaning any deal could be hard to pull off for Eddie Howe’s charges.

What has Jones said about Fofana?

Newcastle have been linked to a wide variety of engine room operator this summer, from Lucas Paqueta to Boubacar Traore, and Jones believes ‘all sorts of different profiles being looked at.’

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He told GiveMeSport: “They also like Seko Fofana at Lens. So, I think there are all sorts of players right now.

“Boubacar Traore has been mentioned, there are all sorts of different profiles being looked at. And ultimately, it's not about the money here, it's about finding the player that perfectly fits.”

Would Fofana be a good signing?

Fofana spent several years at Manchester City without ever making an appearance for the senior side, enjoying productive loan spells at Fulham and SC Bastia before joining Udinese permanently in 2016.

The 6 foot 1 ace then moved to Lens four years later and has firmly established himself as one of Ligue 1’s top midfielders ever since.

In 73 appearances, the box-to-box dynamo has racked up 18 goal contributions, leading to journalist Said Amdaa hailing him as “unplayable,” and his underlying numbers are even more impressive.

As per FBref, Fofana has ranked in the 99^th percentile for total shots, 98^th for dribbles completed and progressive passes received, 95^th for touches in the attacking penalty area, and 90^th for progressive carries amongst his positional peers over the last year.

Fofana, therefore, could be the ideal candidate to add some additional goal threat and drive to Newcastle’s midfield in what is shaping up to be an exciting future for the club.