Villarreal eyeing cut-price Pape Gueye swoop | OneFootball

The powers that be at Villarreal have identified a potential January addition to the club’s midfield ranks.

That’s according to Marca, who have revealed on Saturday that the Yellow Submarine are expressing an interest in the signature of Olympique Marseille star Pape Gueye.

Gueye, for his part, is currently out of favour at Marseille, having fallen down the engine room pecking order of notoriously demanding head coach Gennaro Gattuso.

On the lookout for fresh blood in the middle of the park ahead of the expected departure of Étienne Capoue, Marcelino and his coaching staff have in turn earmarked the 24-year-old as a potentially impactful signing.

Gueye, it is understood, boasts the desired physical profile to take his place at the base of Marcelino’s midfield setup.

With just six months remaining on his contract at the Stade Vélodrome, the former Sevilla man could as a result be available for a cut-price fee, too.

One potential stumbling block towards a deal, though, comes in the form of Gueye’s international commitments.

The midfielder is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations, to aid Senegal’s pursuit of continental glory, complicating the negotiation process for any and all suitors.

Nevertheless, Villarreal are expected to push ahead with the move, before turning attentions to reinforcements at centre-back, and on the right wing.

Conor Laird | GSFN