Newcastle had a shock £35m bid for Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare accepted only for the Manchester United target to turn down a move to St. James' Park, claims The Sun.
Steve Bruce confirmed Newcastle had a bid accepted for an unnamed midfielder in Ligue 1 and it has now been revealed as highly rated Soumare of Lille.
Newcastle were prepared to plunge a club-record fee on the 20-year-old but the France Under-21 international has opted to remain with Lille.
Soumare has emerged as one of the most sought after talents in Ligue 1 over the last 12 months with the likes of United and Chelsea reportedly keen on him.
Attracting Soumare to the north east would have been a major coup for Bruce's side and been a great addition to their midfield.
Soumare has made 19 league appearances for Lille this season and is the club's lowest WhoScored rated player (10+ starts) in the division (6.39).
