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Report: West Ham United, Newcastle United join Aymen Abdennour chase

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 19 March 2013

Report: Hammers, Newcastle join Abdennour chase

Premier League duo West Ham and Newcastle are allegedly the latest club to monitor Toulouse defender Aymen Abdennour, a transfer target of Barcelona.

Premier League duo West Ham United and Newcastle United are both rumoured to be plotting summer offers for Barcelona target Aymen Abdennour.

The Toulouse defender is being courted by the Spanish outfit and was even invited to watch their Champions League win over AC Milan at the Camp Nou last week.

Although his French employers prevented that from happening, reported financial problems could force them to sell their star asset at the end of the season.

As well as interest from the Catalan giants, Abdennour, who is capable of playing at either centre-back or left-back, is also attracting Premier League attention, according to talkSPORT.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce apparently wants the 23-year-old to strengthen his defensive options, while Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is familiar with the Ligue 1 market and has identified the Tunisian as a replacement for the potentially-outgoing Fabricio Coloccini.

Arsenal and Manchester City had previously shown an admiration for Abdennour, but are no longer thought to be considering him in their summer recruitment plans.