Newcastle set Aladji Bamba squad status as intriguing clause agreed with Monaco

The 20-year-old will arrive on Tyneside with just 25 senior appearances for Monaco under his belt and could eventually trigger a further £5.5m in add ons to his original fee.

Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle can see Bamba hitting the heights eventually, with Monaco also deeming the youngster as a bright prospect for the future and insisting on a 15% future sell-on clause fee to ensure they continue to get investment from the Frenchman.

Bamba arrives at Newcastle just weeks after Sandro Tonali was sold for £100m to Tottenham Hotspur and with Joe Willock linked heavily with Besiktas, not to mention increased talk of club captain Bruno Guimaraes leaving the club.

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With Bruno wanted by Arsenal, this could be a season of opportunity for Newcastle's fresh-looking new squad, and Bamba is expected to be a major part of that.

Bamba is a defensive midfielder by trade and will be expected to challenge instantly for a place in Eddie Howe's starting XI, despite a lack of experience at the top level.

Having come through Monaco's youth system, he was entrusted to play in big games in Ligue 1 for Monaco last season against Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon.

Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli spoke of Bamba's attributes last season and stated: "As for Aladji Bamba, I feel he is constantly improving despite his youth.

"At this age, these can be more challenging matches, but for the moment, he demonstrates great consistency over periods of 60 to 70 minutes; the next step will be to push himself even further physically.

"What I appreciate most about him is his humility and his daily work ethic.

"Mentally, he has proven to me that he is ready for the top level. He has shown patience—a quality that is becoming a virtue in modern football.

"Even during difficult times, he never gave up. He continued to work to demonstrate that he could turn the situation around, and today, it shows on the pitch."

Howe will now effectively pick up the baton on Bamba from Pocognoli and continue to develop the player while also giving him the responsibility to grab the chance of a lifetime in the Premier League.

Howe clearly believes he can do it with Newcastle paying a huge fee for a player that has attracted attention but no advanced offers as big as the one from the Magpies.